Learning Curve Continuum
by Fenikkusuken
Summary: COMPLETE. Skewed Canon; set in-game.  Picks up where the main action of 'Learning Curve' left off and re-tells the FF7 story with more twists than a bag of Zoloms.
1. Chantilly Lace

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix only lightly traumatized.

**A/N:**_Argh_. A clutch of plot!bunnies (blatantly encouraged by a very persuasive Kitsune13) began clamouring to use _Learning Curve_ as a base to chart Cloud and Tifa's relationship as it turns from 'friends' to lovers' over the course of the game's plotline. These will be in chronological-ish order, but reflect _Learning Curve_'s twist on canon. I'll also cheerfully co-opt _Crisis Core_'s back story as it fits with my ebil plans.

The _Ultimania_ did its best to make sense out of the wildly-varying methods by which someone could be selected as a SOLDIER candidate in the _Final Fantasy VII_ universe, but for my own purposes, I'm assuming that the most logical method would be to join the ShinRa forces as a private and then apply to or be invited to join the SOLDIER program. Therefore, despite his assertion in the original game that he's never been inside the ShinRa Tower, there's a reasonable chance that Cloud could be familiar with the Tower's general layout from his time in boot camp, even if he had never actually set foot on the upper floors. After all, he did go to Midgar to 'join up'.

**Warnings:** character death (off-screen)

**Bouquets** to my betas, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter One: Chantilly Lace**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"How much further, Spiky?"

I heard the underlying strain in Barret's voice, and knew it wasn't because he was carrying Tifa. "Not long," I fibbed, smearing trickling sweat and dust out of my eyes as I shoved aside a girder and began hacking a path through toppled slabs of reinforced concrete. We were aiming for a fallen column that was just out of our reach, and I hoped it would allow us to get above the rubble. I also hoped my sword wouldn't break while being used as a demolition tool.

Barret coughed violently before grunting in reply and concentrated on where he put his feet as we scrambled through the crumbling ruins of Sector Six, now even more derelict due to additional chunks of Sector Seven scattered everywhere. I stayed on the alert for anything that might decide to take advantage of the confusion and attack, but even the creepy-crawlies were keeping their heads down. I don't blame 'em. If I knew that ShinRa could drop an entire Plate onto the Slums on a whim, I'd be looking for a new place to hide - Wutai sounds good.

That red-headed Turk is a dead man if I ever see him again.

We finally broke out into the relative clear of Sector Five – 'relative' because even though the lighting was better, the air was still filled with a bizarre snowstorm of particulate_. _While pondering the likelihood of future lung disease due to pulverized concrete, I heard Tifa asking Barret something and flinched; I _hate_ hearing her sound so fragile because it makes me feel useless. I saved her life today but couldn't shield her from the rest of her reality. It boggles my mind that ShinRa equipped Midgar with a self-destruct option, but I guess I shouldn't be _that_ surprised. They make their own rules, the bastards.

The sound of Wedge's body hitting the ground is gonna stick with me for a really long time.

Rather than think about that wet, crunching noise, instead I thought about Aerith. It kinda bugged me that she didn't look all that scared up there in that chopper, despite the way she was being treated. Almost like... she _knew_ that Turk. Maybe from when ShinRa held her in custody? At least, I _think_Elmyra said something about it the other night. Can't remember; too much crap has happened since then.

I led the way across the crevassed surface of what was probably the roof of a three-story building, now compressed to less than one, and hoped the inhabitants weren't inside when it fell. A few minutes later, we literally stumbled into the debris-strewn Park; I took my bearings off the trashed kids' play area and soon we were standing in front of a defiantly tidy house. The curtains were drawn, but light shone through the thick fabric. Squaring my shoulders, I rapped briskly on the door. Marlene's voice immediately chimed, but was just as quickly shushed, before the heavy panel cracked open and I was inspected by a piercing eye.

"Goodness gracious! You're a _sight_!" Elmyra exclaimed as she opened the door.

Running my hand through my hair, I grimaced at the grit sticking to my glove. "Yeah. It's pretty bad out there," I said, stomping my boots as clean as possible before stepping inside.

"_Daddy!_" Marlene shrieked, racing full-tilt towards us, but then put on the brakes when she saw what Barret looked like.

He straightened up from ducking under the lintel, allowing Tifa to slide from his back as he did so, but he didn't immediately hold out his arms to his adopted daughter as always... and for good reason. We all looked ghostly, the varied colours of our skin and clothing whitewashed by a pale grey coating, but Barret had the most dramatic transformation. Like Tifa, the only dark-coloured features on his face were his eyes. Unlike hers, however, his burned with a scarcely banked fury that privately gave me the shivers.

"The whole house shook, Daddy," Marlene said in a small voice as Elmyra closed the door and bolted it. "We hid under the table until it stopped."

Barret wiped his hand across his face, leaving his skin garishly striped. "Jessie, Wedge and Biggs won't be comin' home with us any more, princess," he said heavily.

Marlene's eyes became very wide and her expression very solemn. For a moment or two, it looked like she was going to cry, but instead she reached for Elmyra's hand. "Aerith, too?" she asked, ready to comfort the old woman.

"Aerith was captured by the Turks," I said, sliding my arm around a visibly sagging Tifa. "We're going after her."

"The Turks? Are you sure?" Elmyra demanded.

"Yeah."

She looked relieved. "Then Aerith isn't in immediate danger, so you might as well rest up while you can." Choosing Tifa to fuss over, she asked, "Would you like a shower, dear?" Tifa only nodded, unable to speak; her encrusted cheeks were deeply channelled by tears. Elmyra urged Marlene towards us. "Why don't you show your friend to the bathroom while I feed your daddy and Mr. Strife?"

"Sorry, ma'am... forgettin' my manners. Barret Wallace, at your service, an' this is Miss Tifa Lockhart." He stiffly inclined his head, not used to the polite gesture. "Thank you for takin' in my Marlene."

"She was no trouble at all, Mr. Wallace; I enjoyed her company. Off you go, Miss Lockhart. Plenty of hot water and a good meal will fix you right up." Smiling kindly at Tifa, she beckoned Barret and me into the kitchen before I had time to say anything.

"Sink's over there," Elmyra directed as she began setting out cutlery and crockery. By the time we had dunked our heads under the tap and scrubbed our faces and arms free of grime, steaming bowls of rich-smelling stew were on the table.

Picking a chair with a clear view of the front door, I stashed my sword within easy reach. "Thanks," I said to Elmyra when she handed over a slab of bread fragrant with butter.

She nodded, served Barret and poured mugs of tea for us before fiddling with the dials of an archaic-looking radio in the corner. "Should hear what ShinRa has to say about all this." A burst of static made me wince, but that was nothing compared to Barret's reaction to the words that scratched their way out of the speaker.

"... reports of damages are still coming in, but it is clear that there has been a catastrophic loss of life." There was a pause, and then the announcer's voice blared, "Breaking news! The perpetrators of this heinous crime are AVALANCHE! President Shinra's office has confirmed that members of the terrorist organization were spotted tampering with the Pillar moments before the devastating explosion occurred. A brave member of the Department of Administrative Research was badly injured when he attempted to stop AVALANCHE's nefarious plans..."

I swear I heard Barret's teeth crack. "Better not let Tifa or Marlene hear that," he gritted out, and concentrated on emptying his bowl. Elmyra switched off the radio and silently served up another helping.

Several minutes later, Marlene peeked around the kitchen door. "Tifa needs clean clothes," she said hesitantly.

"Upstairs, first room on the left. Pick something out of the chest at the foot of the bed... and bring the robe hanging on the bedpost."

Small feet pattered up the wooden staircase and over our heads. There was a thumping and a bumping, and then the return trip easily charted through squeaking floorboards; I finally figured out how Aerith busted me so easily when I tried to sneak out of the house two nights ago. I'd just finished mopping my second bowl with another crust when Marlene guided Tifa into the kitchen and to the chair next to mine, where she quietly seated herself, her hands resting on her lap.

A dark pink robe gave Tifa's pale cheeks some colour, while a swathe of delicate lace drew my attention to the notch at the base of her slender throat. Her wet hair had been messily braided; long strands had already come loose, framing her face. She looked absolutely drained, and if I can get my hands on President Shinra any time soon, his punk kid'll be coming into his inheritance a helluva lot sooner than he expected. Reaching under the table, I gripped Tifa's hand, and felt quite a bit better when her fingers slowly laced with mine, although her smile was wan as Marlene brought her a steaming bowl of stew.

Elmyra had sharp eyes, but she didn't say anything about our private moment as she poured more tea. Marlene, who can get away with being nosy because she's little, was more direct. "Cloud, is Tifa your girlfriend?"

I tightened my hold on Tifa's fingers and coolly replied, "She's my _friend_... who happens to be a girl."

Marlene scowled, looking uncannily like her adoptive father; how does _that_ work? "Then is Aerith your girlfriend?" she demanded.

_Persistent little brat._ "No... she's a friend, too."

"Which of your girl friends do you like _best_?" Marlene persisted.

I flashed my most charming grin, the one that never fails to make Tifa go all fluttery. "You, squirt."

Marlene gave me a jaundiced look that clearly stated I was so full of shit that my eyes should be brown; however, she quit bugging us and tucked into her food. I squeezed Tifa's hand once more before letting her get on with her dinner.

"Now, you two boys hit the shower." Elmyra put her hands on her hips and eyed Barret up and down. "You're a big fella, but I'm sure that I can find something for you to wear afterwards."

He again rubbed his hand over his face. "We need to rescue the missy."

"I told you... Aerith's _fine_," Elmyra insisted. "They've been trying to recapture her for years because of her havin' Cetra blood an' all, but they won't hurt her."

"Cetra?" Tifa asked, looking up from her bowl.

"Mr. Strife didn't tell you?"

"Er, things have been a little crazy since the other night," I hedged.

"Cloud got turned into a girl," Marlene piped up; the look on Elmyra's face was priceless.

"A spell went sideways," I hastily supplied, shooting Marlene a glare. "I'm back to normal."

"That musta been _some_ spell! Was Aerith involved somehow?" I grinned wryly; she chuckled heartily before re-telling the story of who Aerith was and how she came to live with her in Sector Five for Tifa and Barret's benefit... and this time I paid more attention.

"So Aerith was orphaned by ShinRa, too," Tifa whispered, staring at the tabletop. "Like me and Marlene."

"Marlene?" Elmyra asked in surprise, glancing at Barret.

"He's my adopted daddy," the little girl said proudly, hugging the part of Barret closest to her, which happened to be his gun-arm. "He's _awesome_!"

"Awesome he may be, but he and the rest of you need some sleep before you tackle ShinRa," Elmyra declared. "Marlene, finish your milk and take Miss Lockhart up to Aerith's room. You boys can make yourselves comfortable down here."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

When I exited the bathroom in a cloud of steam and a towel, I first obeyed Elmyra's directive and headed into the front room. However, as soon as I saw the dark expression on Barret's face, I changed my mind. The big man slumped in an upholstered chair, staring into the empty fireplace, and I decided that he shouldn't be alone tonight... and neither should Tifa.

Feeling exposed without my clothing, considering that I was heading into a form of hostile territory, I picked up my armour, shouldered my sword and made as much noise as I could climbing the stairs; Elmyra was waiting for me at the top. Her arched eyebrow took the place of a pointed question but I was determined. "I'm here for Marlene."

Her sceptical gaze pointedly moved from my armour to my sword to my bare chest before again staring me down.

I did my level best to appear sincere. "Tifa lost most of her second family and her home today; if she has a nightmare, Marlene won't be able to help her."

"She suffers from nightmares? Poor thing."

"Tifa's had a hard time of it," I pressed, sensing an advantage. "She needs me."

"Does she, now?" The chilliness was back.

"I promised to protect her; fending off bad dreams is part of the deal."

"Hmm. Very well, Mr. Strife. Kindly keep in mind that's my daughter's bed you're sleeping in."

"Yes, ma'am." I saluted with my pauldron; she merely sniffed before disappearing into the room opposite. Waiting until I heard the lock snick before entering the other door, I barely made it one step inside Aerith's room before my jaw dropped.

White frills and pink bows festooned every surface, including the window, the small dressing table and the half-canopy draped over the bed. I stared around in shock; the contrast between this girly space and the plain room I'd shared with Tifa was almost _blinding_. Propping my sword against the wall, I set down my pauldron on the dressing table next to Tifa's elbow guards and nearly knocked over several dainty blown-glass flasks in the process. _Shit._ I'm definitely not cut out for inhabiting boudoirs.

Turning to the bed, I couldn't help but smile at the way Marlene was snuggled up to Tifa. Re-knotting my towel to avoid embarrassment, I carefully extracted the little girl out from under the covers and discovered that she was wearing a fancy pink nightdress that was far too big for her. The excess length trailing over my arm like a princess' train, I carried her out of the room.

Marlene woke up half-way down the stairs. "Where're we goin'?" she mumbled, scrunching up her face and burrowing into my shoulder.

"Your daddy needs a hug, squirt."

"'Kay."

Despite wearing what appeared to be a bed sheet, Barret's forbidding glare was every bit as intimidating as usual as I approached, but I was on a mission. "Brought you some sunshine," I said and nestled Marlene into the crook of his arm. Barret cuddled his daughter close, his fierce expression softening. "I wanna be with Marlene, but I gotta fight to protect the Planet, because that's the best way to protect Marlene; it's all a big fucking circle, and I'm giving myself a headache. Pass that blanket, Spiky." When I handed over the brightly-knitted throw, Barret gave me one of _those_ looks. You know the one; along the lines of 'touch Tifa and die gruesomely'. "You goin' back upstairs?"

"Yeah."

"Be _good_, ya hear?"

"Always." I turned to leave, but Barret wasn't finished.

"They ain't gonna get away with this," he rumbled. I didn't bother pointing out that Reactor One's destruction had killed equally large numbers of innocents, so merely nodded agreeably. Barret's next words caught me by surprise. "Don't know when we're gonna be able to pay ya."

For a _very_ brief moment I was tempted to take the 'out', but my sense of responsibility, not to mention a promise made to a certain curvaceous martial artist kicked in. "I'd be a pretty crappy bodyguard if I didn't rescue Aerith... and I'm sure as hell not allowing Tifa to go up against ShinRa without me." Barret seemed satisfied with my answer; closing his eyes, he gave every appearance of going to sleep, his cheek resting against Marlene's hair. They were too damn cute, but rather than cooing, I doublet-timed my freezing ass back upstairs because a warm bed occupied by a warmer Tifa was calling.

I tried not to cringe at Aerith's ultra-feminine decor as I closed the door. I have no idea what kind of guy thinks this girly shit is a turn-on, but it sure as hell isn't me. Don't get me wrong; I like frilly bits when the girl's _wearing_ them, but I don't want to be surrounded by it all day. Huh. I wonder if the first guy Aerith liked, the other SOLDIER, was a pink sorta guy? Dropping my towel on the bedside rug, I prepared to invade Tifa's space while hoping she wouldn't freak out too much; hopefully she got over the whole 'eek, he's _naked_' thing this morning_._ However, when I lifted the blankets, I immediately wished that there was an icy mako spring in the vicinity. Tifa wasn't nude – I wouldn't be _that_ lucky - but her borrowed nightdress fit her _extremely_ well.

If I didn't know better, I'd swear that Marlene was _trying_ to give me a heart attack by picking out this particular garment.

Lace clustered softly at her throat and draped over her full breasts; below that, gauzy fabric clung to her generous curves. The shielded light cast deep shadows that tantalizingly hinted at more intimate places, and I had to restrain myself from pouncing. Workin' on that trust thing again. Glancing down at my erection, I very briefly reconsidered putting myself in such close proximity to temptation before shrugging off my hesitation and sliding between the sheets. The bed was narrow; I carefully worked my arms around Tifa, eased her head onto my shoulder and cradled her close.

When Tifa didn't awaken from being handled, I began to relax. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I couldn't help a contented sigh as I soaked up her warmth; even Aerith's floral fragrance on the bedding couldn't overpower Tifa's comforting scent. I could totally get used to this... especially since cuddling up _this _time didn't involve being fried by a damn Zolom first.

Although, if we keep this up, I'll need to find out if Cure fixes blue balls.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

A few hours later, a hand bracing itself on my chest woke me up in a hurry, but I kept my eyes closed to see what Tifa would do if she thought I was asleep. A guy can always hope, right? Unfortunately for me, Tifa's a nice girl and her first impulse was to put as much distance between us as possible. Fortunately for me, she's also tender-hearted and wasn't about to solve her problem by dumping my ass out of bed. She tried surreptitiously freeing herself, but I quickly executed the snuggle-restraint method by tightening my grip. "Where you goin'?" I murmured, peeking through my lashes.

"This is _Aerith's bed_!" Tifa hissed, wide awake and panicking.

I cast a fake-sleepy glance overhead at the beribboned canopy. "Yeah. So?"

"_But...!_"

"Elmyra knows, so relax," I yawned, firmly reeling Tifa back into my arms while trying to not snicker at her horrified expression. "Barret's okay with it, too."

"What if _I'm_ not?" she demanded.

"You'd rather sleep on the floor because it's me instead of Marlene? Seriously?"

She bit her lip, blushing. "No... it's just..."

"We're _just_ sleeping... or at least, we _were_. What woke you up?"

"Um, a bad dream."

"_That's_ a relief. I thought I'd have to get up to hunt down a strange noise, and I'd really hate to do that because it's nice and warm in here with you."

"Too late to change my story, huh?"

"Yep." I rolled onto my side and firmly tucked her under my chin. "C'mere... you seemed to sleep better last night when you were in this position, so let's see if it works tonight, too."

"Your chest was softer last night," Tifa muttered.

Chuckling, I concentrated on making her feel comfortable and safe. Loosening the braid securing her hair, I began stroking through the soft strands, removing knots with my fingers. I know she likes this... hell, _I_liked it when she brushed my hair, but I'll never admit it. Well, not unless I'm _really_ drunk, and that hasn't happened since boot camp ended. It took a while, but Tifa finally exhaled deeply and some of the tightness left her shoulders so I switched to rubbing light circles on the nape of her neck.

Just when I thought she might have dozed off, uneven breathing and a trickling sensation on my chest announced otherwise. I hate it when she cries, because I feel so damn helpless. Can't exactly kill whatever's bothering her, which is my preferred method of consolation. Trying to think of something appropriate to say, I whispered, "Thinking about Jessie and the others?" and then immediately regretted it when bone-deep, wrenching sobs abruptly shook Tifa's slender frame. Way to go, Strife; you always pick exactly the wrong thing to bring up. I curled myself around her and held on until the desperate sounds trailed off to painfully raw hiccups. When she was limp and trembling, I gently wiped her wet cheeks and kissed her softly. Tifa tried to speak, but couldn't; when I urged her to nestle closer, she didn't resist, instead slipping her arm around my waist to hold me just as tight.

Until she finally realized that I was naked.

I let her retreat, but not too far. "What's the matter?" I innocently asked.

"_Where_ are your clothes?"

"Being washed - like yours."

"Oh... er, right."

Giving her a tolerant look, I smoothed a dark strand behind her ear. "Why so jumpy? We've slept naked together before."

Tifa opened her mouth, then closed it again. With a deep sigh, she appeared to give up and obediently tucked herself back under my chin, but she was careful to keep her hands above my waist. Since she couldn't see my expression, I grinned triumphantly and made a point of petting her hair as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Within moments, Tifa fell fast asleep, judging by the way her body became pliant and curved into mine, so I closed my eyes and followed suit, because only the Planet knows when we might enjoy a full night's sleep in a comfortable bed after tonight.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

I woke up first the following morning, and happily discovered that I had acquired an extra covering in the form of Tifa draped over top of me. Her long hair trailed across my chest and off the side of the bed, while the nightgown had rucked up around her thighs; her bare legs were comfortably entwined with mine. As pleasant as the sensations were, I had a healthy respect for her reaction if she woke up and jumped to conclusions as to how she ended up in that position. I suppose I should've tried to move her... but an unconsciously-affectionate Tifa is something to be enjoyed.

However, I lost control of the situation within a second or two when Tifa stirred. I couldn't see her face, only the crown of her head, so when her lashes fluttered against my chest as she slowly blinked several times, I had to imagine the sleep-mist gradually clearing from her beautiful eyes. Fingertips flexed against my ribs, and I just managed not to squirm as she shifted, stretched... and the nightgown rode up another inch. Short, soft curls pressed against my thigh and it suddenly became _highly_ imperative that I put some distance between us because my morning wood grew from 'sapling' to 'old growth' in a split-second.

Seemingly unaware of her indecent exposure, or my body's enthusiastic response, Tifa propped herself up on one elbow and blinked down at my undoubtedly red face. I quickly raised my free hand in a gesture of innocence. "I woke up with you like this."

"I must've followed your heartbeat," she mumbled as she blushed and slid off; I quickly covered my erection with my other hand because, as I mentioned, the bed was rather narrow. However, I didn't really have to worry, because Tifa was out of our nest like a flash – luckily for me, because my libido _really_ appreciated the way that the clingy fabric emphasized her erect nipples before she quickly wrapped herself in the pink robe.

"_Brrrrrr!_ Chilly in here," she commented.

"Just like home," I said, making a point of snuggling down into the warm bedding.

"Home?"

"Nibelheim."

A shadow passed across her face. "It's been a long time since I've thought of Nibelheim as 'home'." Briskly knotting the robe's belt, Tifa continued, "I'll get our clothes. Don't fall back asleep."

"You could kiss me awake," I suggested.

"Maybe... if you were a handsome prince."

"I'm handsome!"

That earned me a smile before she whisked out the door. She left it slightly ajar, so I was able to overhear the conversation when she met Elmyra at the top of the stairs.

"Here you are, Miss Lockhart."

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Gainsborough." An armload was transferred, and then Tifa said, "Um, thank you also for allowing Cloud to stay with me last night. I really appreciated it."

Elmyra's voice softened. "Losing one person that you care about is hard enough; I can't imagine losing three at once." A pause, and then, "There, there, dear. How about a nice cup of tea?" Tifa's reply was too subdued to hear, but when she came back into the room, her head was bowed and it stayed that way as she laid out our clothes on the foot of the bed.

I can always tell when she's stressed, because she hides behind her hair. Sitting up, I caught her hand and tugged her closer until I could brush aside her bangs. Tifa smiled bravely enough, but there was darkness in her gaze. Using my grip on her hand, I pulled her down to sitting and wrapped my arms around her. Despite the awkward angle, Tifa willingly leaned into my embrace and returned it. I wanted to tell her that everything would be all right, but the words stuck in my throat, so I just hugged her tightly instead.

We stayed that way for some minutes until Tifa finally let go. I reluctantly released her, but felt better about it when her soft smile reached her eyes and she lightly kissed my cheek. Before she moved out of range, I bumped my nose against hers and murmured, "Leave it to me."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

After Tifa helped me buckle my pauldron and sword harness into place, I earned a frosty glare when I slyly offered to adjust her suspenders. However, I won back her good opinion a few minutes later by brushing her hair; it's amusing how after only a few strokes she almost starts purring. She fussed about cleaning Aerith's hairbrush afterwards, while I checked over what supplies we had left before we headed downstairs. Elmyra served up strong tea and bowls of hot porridge; by unspoken accord, we waited until Marlene had skipped off upstairs to get dressed before discussing our plans.

"How much do ya know about the ShinRa Tower, Spiky?"

I nudged Tifa's shoulder, giving her a significant look because she spent more time stirring her cereal than eating it. "Not much, but I do know that the high security cells are on the upper floors."

"Hell, I coulda told ya _that_. Yer SOLDIER, ain't ya?"

"Yeah... but I never had a reason to visit the cellblock."

"We could pretend that we were your prisoners – that you'd captured two senior members of AVALANCHE – and they'd take us right to the cells," Tifa suggested, her voice gone hollow again.

"Or shoot you on sight," I said flatly. "They don't need a live eco-terrorist at this point; a dead one would suit them even better."

"He's right, Tifa," Barret sighed, as if it pained him to agree with me. "Not only that, but the grunts last night were definitely lookin' for Spiky – unless there happens to be another blond SOLDIER carryin' a chopper rotor on the loose." He shot me a considering look. "They said you was dangerous... and a deserter."

I smirked arrogantly. "A SOLDIER, First Class _is_ dangerous." He chose to not pursue the second comment; good thing, because I couldn't remember what kind of discharge I'd had.

"So, how we gonna find the missy?"

"If we try a frontal attack, we'll have to fight every step of the way up the Tower; I'd rather save my energy for bustin' us back out, so that means we sneak in from the rear."

"We're gonna take the _stairs_?"

"It's better than being trapped in an elevator when they cut the power." I tapped the tabletop to keep Barret's attention. "We go as high as we can via the service stairs, then I'll try to bluff my way into the cells. If that doesn't work, we start kicking ass… so long as _you_ don't lose your cool."

He gave me a beady-eyed look before rubbing his hand over his face. "Best we can do, I suppose."

"What about Marlene?" Tifa asked.

Elmyra offered, "I'll keep her."

"I don't know when or if we'll be back to pick her up," Barret said tightly.

"You're risking everything to rescue my Aerith. It's the least I can do," Elmyra declared. "Besides, if Aerith ends up leaving Midgar with you folks, Marlene'll be good company for me."

Barret bowed his head. "I'm in your debt, ma'am."

"Pish-tosh."

While they exchanged tips for the care and feeding of the spirited wildlife that answers to the name of Marlene, I prodded Tifa again. "Eat up," I commanded quietly. "If things go sideways, there's no telling when or where we'll find our next meal." She obediently ate the last few spoonfuls, but it was obvious that swallowing was difficult.

Marlene arrived at that moment, her hair tied back with a pink ribbon that looked suspiciously like it had been liberated from Aerith's decor. Clambering up onto Barret's lap, she asked, "When are you leaving?"

"Soon, princess." He rested his massive hand on her small head. "Mrs. Gainsborough has offered t' keep ya, but I don't know when we'll be back. It could be quite a while until you see your ol' daddy again."

"The soldiers will be after you, too, won't they?"

"Uh-huh."

She fixed him with a serious look. "You be careful, Daddy. The soldiers have guns."

As he nodded, Elmyra said, "We'll be just fine, Mr. Wallace."

Giving Marlene a long, tender hug, Barret set her on her feet. His eyes were suspiciously moist and his voice gruffer than usual as he said, "Wish us luck in rescuing _your_ princess, ma'am."

"Just don't get yourselves killed," she admonished.

I stood up and slung my sword onto my back. "Let's get this done." Ruffling Marlene's bangs on the way past, I gave Elmyra a confident grin. "Keep the kettle warm." Making sure that Tifa and Barret were occupied with putting on their boots while saying their goodbyes to Marlene, I pressed a small bag of gil into Elmyra's hand. When she fussed, I folded her fingers over the pouch. "Take it. Your widow's pension from ShinRa can't be _that_ generous."

She gave in then, slipping the coins into her apron pocket. "Thank you, Mr. Strife."

Winking, I patted the hilt of my sword before beckoning to Tifa and Barret. "Time to storm the Tower."

Elmrya and Marlene waved us off; as we walked away, I caught Tifa giving the cozy little house one last, longing look and could easily read her mind. Dropping back, I slipped my arm around her shoulders and kept her close as we headed into the dust-filled shadows.

To say that things went sideways is an effin' understatement.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	2. In the Heat of the Night

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix only somewhat confused.

**A/N:**Red XIII/Nanaki is characterized as having a formal speech pattern, so for the duration of these fics, he'll use Japanese honorifics when addressing other characters. Despite strong Western influences on its 'in a galaxy far, far away' setting, Japanese cultural sensibilities pervade _FFVII_'s universe, so why not?

In the same cultural vein, in small, traditional Japanese inns (_ryokan_), it wasn't unusual for two guests* to share the same futon, to make the most out of limited floor space as well as maximize body heat in buildings that even today lack central heating; the key is that each person has their own blanket.

*of the same sex; a privacy screen separates men from women and from married couples in the same room.

Also, Aerith isn't _trying_ to be a bitch in this chapter; she's had a very bad shock and isn't dealing with it very well.

**Warnings:** Coarse language, rampant innuendo.

**Bushels of Mime****tt Greens** to Kitsune13, aka Tam-Lin, for continuing to encourage these bunnies. If you haven't read her innovative _FFVII_ AR fic titled _Avatar_, I highly encourage you to do so!

**Bouquets** to my wonderful, ever-patient betas Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Two: In The Heat of the Night**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Tifa started her third circuit of Kalm's side streets, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, but not entirely because of the nippy night air. It was plainly obvious that her skimpy clothing wasn't going to be adequate outside of Midgar's mako-powered hot house, but that wasn't the main reason why she had goose bumps; instead it was the conflict swirling inside her head that was giving her the chills.

_Cloud sounded so __sure__ of himself, but he wasn't __there__! I'd remember if he was! _Turning a corner, she blindly stumbled down the quaintly crooked street. _He was so __convincing__, though… finding his mother crushed beneath their burning house, her last words… you don't make up stuff like that. He knew so many details from before Sephiroth went crazy, even the bridge collapsing and the materia fountain, but... but..._

_I suppose he could've debriefed the remaining trooper who accompanied Sephiroth and that dark-haired SOLDIER to Nibelheim… except Cloud was nearly killed and would've spent months in recovery. I doubt he was in any condition to do paperwork! _

_And he __definitely__ didn't pose for any pictures with me._

_But... _

_I suffered a concussion – among other things - from being thrown down the reactor stairs, and some of my memories definitely aren't as clear as they could be._

_I'm __so__ confused…!_

Crossing a cobblestoned intersection, Tifa continued desperately sorting through her memory banks, trying to match up her recollections of the events of five years previous to Cloud's version – and kept failing. _He __had__ to have been part of a second team, probably called in as backup when Sephiroth locked himself in the ShinRa Mansion, and then read the reports after he got out of hospital; that's the only logical explanation for him knowing all that stuff about Sephiroth's connection to Jenova. But… why haven't I heard anything about him as a SOLDIER for the past five years that I've been in Midgar? Unless – he quit a while ago. But then, why would he still be wearing his uniform?_

"Tifa-san."

She barely stopped herself from defensively lashing out at the rasping voice speaking unexpectedly from around her hip level. "R-Red?"

"Apologies for startling you." His single golden eye gleamed up at her in the flaring light of his tail-tip.

"Were you looking for me? I'm _so_ sorry!" Tifa exclaimed, instantly feeling guilty for causing a fuss.

"Cloud-san became concerned at your extended absence." Tilting his muzzle to the starry sky, Red let out a short yowl; within moments the thud of heavy boots announced the swordsman's rapid approach.

"_There_ you are." His flat tone held an unmistakeable rebuke.

Tifa was almost too unnerved by the hard, emerald-tinted glitter of his eyes to reply right away. _They've been like that since the Tower_…

'_Get movin'!' Cloud shouted, falling back on the stolen motorcycle to take on their pursuers. Tifa had a moment to again wonder why ShinRa kept fuelled vehicles on display before she floored the accelerator, flinching as several bullets pinged off the rear of the cab. Long minutes later, after Cloud had fended off the last of their pursuers in a shower of sparks, he pulled alongside and his fierce viridian glare gave her pause –_ _for just a moment she was reminded of someone far more frightening…._

"I'm sorry," she finally responded, ducking her head, then 'eeped' when she was shrouded in coarse fabric that smelled of him.

"Don't wander off again; it'd be a pain in the ass if you were picked up by a ShinRa patrol," Cloud said curtly, briskly adjusting his cowl so it covered her chest and upper arms. Firmly gripping her elbow, he hustled her along the uneven pavement; they were within sight of the inn when Cloud abruptly sent Red on ahead. "I gotta talk to Tifa."

"As you wish, Cloud-san. I shall inform the others." With a small bob of his massive head and a flick of his sizzling tail, the leonine creature padded down the street towards the brightly-lit entrance of the half-timbered building.

"The innkeeper seemed a little nervous about Red's fire-starting potential, what with all that dry wood," Tifa commented just before Cloud hooked his arm around her waist and dragged her into a dark alley behind the buildings fronting the town square. "_Oh!_ What're you...? _Oof!_"

Her ears ringing with a dull metallic clang caused by the collision of his sword with the brick wall, she was yanked into his arms. Startled and more than a little concerned by Cloud's forceful behaviour, Tifa held very, very still, her head trapped between his shoulder and his chin, listening to his thundering heartbeat and aware of how thoroughly he had her restrained.

"If I'm not with you, I can't protect you."

She felt, rather than heard, his growl as his arms tightened to the point of discomfort, the ridges on his gauntlet digging into her back. _Does he think I'm going to take off or something?_ Then Tifa realized that she was all tensed up, as if ready to flee – or strike - at the first opportunity. _He __is__ making me nervous, but..._ Forcing herself to relax, she tried not to think of what a casual passerby would make of their intimate embrace. _Cloud's almost paranoid about my safety; at the Tower, I'm __sure__ that he deliberately placed himself so that we'd be put into the same cell._ His deep exhalation and the way he both loosened his grip and gathered her closer seemed to confirm her suspicions.

"I needed some fresh air... I'm sorry. I didn't realize how long I was gone," she said contritely.

His lips brushed her forehead. "Don't leave me."

_Wha...? Where did __that__ come from? _ "I won't," she murmured, wriggling her arms free and slipping them around his waist to hug tightly.

Cloud exhaled again, his shoulders slumping. "It's my fault we were captured. I was distracted."

Tifa shook her head in mute protest – until she thought about it. In the confusion of running battles and multiple confrontations, Cloud had collapsed in front of a specimen tank and never really recovered his momentum. "That Jenova-thing?"

He viscerally shuddered. "So much darkness."

"Um... what?" When Cloud remained silent, Tifa ventured, "You're _sure_ Sephiroth isn't just saving the Planet from ShinRa?"

"I already told you – there's _no way_. We're insects, so far as he's concerned – insects to be crushed under his heel. I'm damn sure he's planning something far worse than Nibelheim for the rest of the Planet; all those poor bastards in the Tower were merely a warm-up."

"We have to stop him!"

"I have a score to settle, too." Cupping her cheek with deceptive gentleness, the green in Cloud's eyes flared brighter just before he kissed her with bruising strength. When Tifa flinched and tried to pull back, he fisted a handful of hair to keep her in place. Just as she started to struggle, his mouth softened, the brutal pressure easing to a soft caress that was such a complete contrast to his previous aggression that Tifa didn't quite know how to react, especially when he whispered, "He nearly took you away from me the last time; I _won't_ let him hurt you again." Cloud pressed a series of light, tender kisses to her lips, then the tension on her hair released.

Tifa pulled away, and he let her go... but the clear blue of his gaze, with only the slightest hint of emerald rimming his irises, stopped her in her tracks. In fact, she stared at him for so long with such a puzzled expression that he finally quirked a small smile. "Is there something on my face?"

"Uh... no. Er, we should head back."

Straightening to his full height, he rolled his shoulders. "I suppose." Giving the street outside the alley a perfunctory check, he strode past her and disappeared around the corner; Tifa hesitantly followed.

_It's like... he's two different people. Could the mako already inside his body have been boosted by his contact with the spring the other day and it's affecting both his behaviour and his memories?_

"C'mon, Tifa." Snapping out of her reverie, she checked his eye colour before obeying. Apparently unaware of the reasons behind her inspection, Cloud chuckled softly as he casually slung his arm around her shoulders. "I promise I won't bite," he grinned, before adding in a suggestive tone, "In public, any ways."

"I'm not so sure about that," Tifa mumbled, stiff-backed and resistant to closer contact.

Cloud studied her for a moment before letting his arm drop and moved away. "You were gone so long that dinner was gettin' cold; I wonder if Barret left us any?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Has anyone ever told you that your sword is _very_ impressive, Cloud?"

His smirk was pure masculine arrogance. "Plenty of ladies love how _big_ it is."

"You _don't_ say," Aerith purred, propping her chin on her palm. "However, I've heard it isn't the _size_ of the weapon, but rather how _well_ it's used."

"Yeah? It's probably _too much_ for you to handle."

"Oh, I _doubt_ it."

Hunched across the table from the bantering twosome, Tifa desperately wished for something to stuff in her ears to avoid listening... or maybe a seat on the other side of the room. Even though the meal was excellent, her appetite completely deserted her at Aerith's tinkling laugh, as Cloud leaned close to whisper in the other woman's ear.

"Tifa-san? Are you all right?"

She forced herself to smile at Red because his furry brow was furrowed with concern. "I'm not very hungry, for some reason. Would you like my share? It'd be a shame to let it go to waste."

"Only if you are sure that you have had enough."

"I have." Placing her plate in front of him, Tifa folded her napkin and stood up.

"_Now_ where are you goin'?" Cloud demanded.

Glancing in his direction, she twitched at the sight of Aerith now practically sitting in his lap, ostensibly admiring his sword, and quickly answered, "I'm turning in."

"We still haven't decided where to go next," Barret protested.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Tifa retorted, edging away.

"You don't look so good," the big man observed, concerned by her sharp tone and flushed cheeks.

"Just really tired," she fibbed.

"All right. We won't be gettin' too old tonight, either." As Tifa hurried away, he cocked a jaundiced eye towards Cloud and Aerith, who were deeply involved in a private conversation that included some suggestive fondling of the welded protrusions on his pauldron. Rapping his gun-arm on the wooden table, Barret grumbled, "Either get a room or knock it off. Yer embarrassin' this old man."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Closing the door behind her, Tifa took several deep, cleansing breaths while focusing on the graceful painted fish swimming across the screen that divided the room in half. The room they'd been assigned was small but spotlessly clean and the pretty screen gave the two women some privacy. _I'm safe from Cloud climbing into bed with me, since I'm sharing with Aerith... on the other hand, that might not be much of a deterrent tonight_. Shaking her head to dispel the images of the flirting pair, Tifa stripped off Cloud's cowl and left it neatly folded on the bed closest to the door, then hurriedly readied herself for sleep in the chilly room.

Several minutes later, snuggling under the thick quilt on her side of the mattress, Tifa again tried to clear her mind, but found herself instead contemplating Cloud's rough handling. _What triggered it? He's adamant about wanting to protect me, but then does __that__... I just don't understand._

"Thanks for walking me up, Red. Oh, _dear_... I seem to have forgotten my Carbon Bangle downstairs. It has a couple of materia in it that we won't want to lose!"

"I will retrieve it, Aerith-sama."

"Thank you _so_ much!" she trilled.

"It is my pleasure."

Hidden behind the screen, Tifa rolled her eyes. _He's already wrapped around her little finger – just like the rest of them. How does she do it?_

"Where did Cloud get that sword?" Aerith's hard tone made her unconsciously curl her fists in preparation for an attack as she sat up and warily regarded the other woman, now crouched across from her, an intent expression on her pretty face.

"Well, er, it's a SOLDIER weapon... isn't it?" Tifa floundered.

Aerith vehemently shook her head. "It _isn't_ SOLDIER regulation issue. I know that for a fact."

"Oh. He had it when I found him, so I assumed..."

" 'Found' him?"

"About three months ago, at the train station. He was filthy, dehydrated and a little out of it, but clutching that sword like it was his lifeline."

"Three months ago?" Aerith murmured, her gaze dropping to the folded quilt beside her knees. Abruptly, her shoulders slumped and she appeared positively stricken. "It _was_ him... oh, _no_."

"Aerith?" Alarmed at the change in the other woman's demeanour as well as her cryptic words, Tifa threw back her blanket and reached for her, but was shrugged off.

"I'm fine," she crisply declared, squaring her shoulders, but Tifa could see her trembling lip. The door slid open at that moment, giving Aerith an excuse to break off the conversation; by the time she returned from thanking Red for returning her Bangle, she was composed.

_Maybe a little __too__ composed... and I'll eat that Bangle if it really was 'forgotten'._ Tifa settled back into her bedding, carefully watching Aerith as the other girl undressed. _She recognized Cloud's sword, no doubt about it – and someone connected to it was very important to her._

The pink ribbon securing her hair was the last thing to be removed; Aerith gently smoothed it with her fingers before tying it around her wrist. "Good night," she said, her silvery voice several shades less bright. "Hopefully the boys won't make too much of a racket when they come in." Wrapping herself in her blanket, she lay down on the other side of the mattress with her back to Tifa, making it very clear that she didn't want to talk.

_I'd better warn her anyways_. "Um, I've been having nightmares, so if I start screaming in my sleep, go ahead and wake me up."

"A slap upside the head ought to do the trick," Aerith coolly mused.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

'_Jessie! __Jessie__!' The Plate heaved and bucked, the metallic shriek of tearing metal deafening... but not enough to drown out Jessie's final scream as she vanished into the crack between two chunks. Sick to heart, Tifa frantically searched for Cloud, finally locating him locked in combat with an Aero Combatant that morphed into Moth Slasher while their world fell apart. A massive section of Plate tore loose and plummeted towards him… she shrieked his name, but it was too late…. _

"I'm here, Tifa. _Shhh_... I'm here."

Surrounded by Cloud's familiar scent of wool, leather and honed steel, Tifa let out a plaintive whimper and clung tightly to the comfort he offered. As he began stroking her hair, she burrowed into his warmth until his heartbeat lulled her back to sleep - but not before a stray thought wandered across her consciousness.

_I wonder what colour his eyes are right now...?_

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Funny... I don't recall agreeing to a threesome."

"If this _was_ a threesome, I'd be in the middle. Wearing nothing but a shit-eating grin."

Behind her closed lids, Tifa rolled her eyes at the heavy innuendo, and continued pretending to be asleep despite being uncomfortably squashed between Cloud and Aerith on the suddenly too-small mattress. _I am __not__ taking part in this conversation, because it's going downhill __fast__._

"Rather drafty, unless you brought your own blanket."

"I don't get cold; I'm always _hot_."

"Positively _scorching_, I'm sure."

"You know it." His hand protectively cupped the back of Tifa's head. "Hey… you weren't _really_ going to hit her, were you?"

"Quickest way to stop the racket."

"Wow… the sympathy is just _oozing _out of you."

"People die all the time; you have to deal with it and move on," Aerith said evenly, and Tifa barely repressed a shiver at the flatness of her tone. "So, how long have you known her?"

"Since we were kids." Cloud nuzzled Tifa's hair; she wondered if she was busted for being awake, but if so, it didn't seem to affect his answers.

"Why did you join ShinRa, instead of marrying her and raising a pack of tow-headed brats?"

"I wanted to come home a hero and sweep her off her feet."

"How'd _that_ work out?"

He snorted. "Not exactly as planned."

There was a pause, in which Tifa had no trouble at all imagining Aerith's expression as she surveyed the intimate way Cloud was wrapped around her. "So, what _are_ you to each other? Friends? Lovers?"

"You and Marlene were separated at birth."

"That _doesn't_ answer my question."

"I'd give my life to protect her."

"What about me? Aren't you _my_ bodyguard?"

"I'll guard your body _any_ time, Aerith..."

Tifa decided that this was as good a moment as any to 'wake up'; pushing against Cloud's chest, she forced him to relax his grip. "_Why _are you here?"

His expression was one part smirk and two parts leer. "_You_ were the one screaming my name, so I came... _fast _and_ hard_."

"I – _what_?" she spat, shoving harder.

He just held on tighter. "We gotta do something about these nightmares."

"There's a simple answer to that." Raising her voice, Aerith called, "All in favour of Tifa sleeping with Cloud from now on, please say 'aye'." As a chorus of grumpy affirmatives came from the other side of the screen as well as a more enthusiastic one from the man squeezing her, Tifa turned scarlet.

"Don't _I_ get a vote?" she muttered.

"Nope," he grinned, a response loudly echoed by the rest.

Glaring daggers at Cloud, Tifa growled, "Separate blankets, buster."

Unnoticed by the other two, Aerith softly echoed, "Buster…?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Half an hour later, they all convened downstairs for breakfast; Tifa's cheeks were still notably pink as she seated herself, not least because when Cloud arrived a few minutes later from an errand, he scooted his chair closer to hers. His eyes held only the faintest hint of green, and he seemed back to his usual self, chatting easily with Red while slyly teasing Barret.

During a lull in the conversation, Aerith casually asked, "So, Cloud... how did you come by that sword?" as she blew on a spoonful of eggs.

He blinked, and appeared to collect himself before answering, "I was awarded it when I became a SOLDIER."

Aerith tilted her head. "Really? What a great honour," she said silkily.

Cloud's expression closed. "Yeah." Swirling the contents of his mug, he took a sip, then draped his arm across the back of Tifa's chair. "I have some good news, some bad news and some even worse news. Which do you want first?"

"Just give it to us straight, Spiky," Barret growled.

"The bad news is that the Mythril Mine is closed right now."

The big man frowned. "So?"

"The worse news is that it's closed because of an infestation of Midgar Zoloms." While the rest of them merely looked confused, Tifa twisted in her seat to stare at Cloud with wide, frightened eyes.

"What's a Zolom?" Aerith asked, noting Tifa's reaction.

"The biggest fire-breathing snake you've ever seen, except maybe in a nightmare," Cloud replied cheerfully.

Tifa shot him a disbelieving look as she exclaimed, "Cloud _died_ the other day when we fought one!"

"Phoenix Downs – don't leave Midgar without them!" Grinning cockily, he gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Luckily for us, Tifa is a certified Zolom-disposal expert."

"What is the good news, Cloud-san?" Red asked, the feathers in his mane rustling, as if his hackles were going up.

"If we can acquire ourselves some trained Chocobos, we don't have to worry about the Zoloms – and I happen to know where we can score some."

"Why are we even going _near_ the fucking mine?" Barret wanted to know.

"I have a strong hunch that Sephiroth is headed that way." Cloud stretched, then took off his cowl and dropped it over Tifa's head; as she spluttered and clawed the material away from her face, he placed a pouch of gil in front of her. "While me, Barret and Red take care of supplies, you and Aerith go pick up whatever girly-type stuff you need. We'll meet back here in a couple of hours and head out."

"'Girly-type stuff'?" Tifa muttered, struggling with the fabric. _Why does he keep smothering me with this thing?_

"In other words, things boys wouldn't be caught _dead_ purchasing, even for their mothers or sisters," Aerith said, watching Tifa with a thoughtful expression. "Cloud, are we likely to be camping?"

"Plan for it."

Turning back to Tifa, she helped arrange the cowl's folds into graceful swags with a few practiced tugs. "Some heavier night clothes would be a good idea... maybe a sweater and a pair of slacks, too."

"Are slacks _really_ necessary?" Both Tifa and Cloud spoke at the same time, then looked askance at each other.

"Entirely up to you," Aerith replied. "However, Tifa's not a barmaid anymore, and who knows what kind of weather we'll encounter while we follow Cloud's hunches around the Planet?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"_Oooh! _Look at _this_!"

Tifa glanced up from where she was methodically searching through a bin of assorted panties to see Aerith covetously fondling a lacy silk nightdress. "Um, I don't think that'll keep you very warm."

The other girl let out a gleeful cackle that had everyone else in the clothing shop looking her way. "Are you _kidding_ me? If you cuddled up to Cloud wearing this, I can guarantee you'd _never_ be cold!"

For the second time that morning, Tifa's cheeks flamed. "I doubt it," she mumbled.

Aerith planted her fist on her hip, treating Tifa to a sceptical look. "Really? You looked quite cozy with him this morning."

"We're childhood friends – nothing more."

Rolling her eyes, Aerith laid the nightgown aside and reached out to yank on the cowl Tifa still wore around her shoulders. "When a man gives a woman a piece of his clothing to wear in public, he's making a statement. 'This one's _mine_' is the rough translation."

Self-consciously plucking at the coarse fabric, Tifa protested, "He's just being protective."

"_Riiight_. If that's the case, then why doesn't he give _me_ something of his to wear? He's my bodyguard, after all."

"Er..."

Aerith sighed heavily, as if searching for patience. "Cloud has said _twice_ now, in front of witnesses, that he'll 'protect you with his life'. Do you have _any_ idea of what that means?"

"Of course I do! He's just, uh, really determined to keep me safe."

Pinching the bridge of her dainty nose, Aerith said, "Yes, but that's only _part_ of it, Tifa. A guy – especially a guy like _him_ that's allergic to 'mushy stuff' – uses that phrase to declare that he's extremely serious about a girl."

"No way! We barely know each other!"

Again tugging on the cowl, Aerith murmured, "His choice of words, plus _this_ thing, tell me I'm right."

_He did say that he's had a crush on me since we were kids, and that he joined SOLDIER to impress me, but..._ "I'd better set him straight," Tifa said briskly, quickly picking out some definitely not-sexy pyjamas, a pair of slacks and a long-sleeved sweater with intentions of ending the conversation by taking refuge in the change room.

"You'd hurt him deeply if you rejected him." Aerith blocked her escape route. "Can you look me in the eye and honestly say that you don't feel anything for him?"

Holding the folded clothing like a defensive shield, Tifa said quietly, "I don't _know_ him well enough to feel anything _definite_ for him. We weren't that close while growing up, even though we lived next door to each other. He left to join SOLDIER when I was thirteen, and I haven't had anything to do with him for the past seven years."

"According to that story he told last night, you spent a fair bit of time together before Sephiroth went on the rampage in your hometown."

Tifa shifted uncomfortably. "My memories of that incident are quite different," she said carefully.

"Hmm." Aerith gave her another of those considering looks before extracting the pyjamas out of her arms. "That neckline is more suitable for your maiden aunt. Here, try this style." The sweater was exchanged next. "A zippered neckline will be more versatile because you can wear it open or closed depending on the weather, the short sleeves accommodate your armour and this colour is going to do _amazing_ things for your complexion."

"Er, thanks." Beating a retreat, Tifa hid in the change room. While trying on the clothing, she tried to organize her scattered thoughts, but she couldn't come up with anything coherent to refute Aerith's perceptions... until she remembered the innuendo-laden conversations between the mage and the swordsman.

"Come out and show off your new outfit, Tifa!" Aerith called gaily. Gathering her arguments, she stepped outside and discovered she had to temporarily shelve them due to an unexpected audience.

"Lookin' good," Barret rumbled, giving her a perfunctory once-over before making for the door.

Red followed on his heels, but not before nodding in approval. "Eminently practical, Tifa-san."

Cloud, on the other hand, looked far less than impressed. "Sweater's okay, I guess," was all he said before jerking his thumb towards the door. "Hurry up – we'll wait outside."

Aerith showed off her own finds, which included pink-sprigged pyjamas, lace-trimmed leggings to wear under her dress and a smart coat that perfectly complimented her existing outfit.

"Maybe I should go with leggings, too," Tifa muttered. "That way I can at least keep my skirt..."

"One battle with a monster, and they'll be in shreds," Aerith pointed out. "Slacks aren't as fragile, and those ones are stretchy. No worries about popping a seam while in the middle of a fight!"

_Is she __ever__ wrong?_ Irritation made Tifa bold. "Regarding what we were talking about earlier, Cloud's been flirting rather heavily with you lately; I find it hard to believe that he's serious about _anything_, never mind me."

"Give me a break, Tifa. Cloud's all talk – if _you_ haven't bedded him, then I don't believe for _one_ second that he's ever been with a girl outside of his imagination – and has it occurred to you that maybe he's _trying_ to make you jealous?"

Tifa was completely flabbergasted by Aerith's first assertion, so concentrated on the second. "Why would he want to do _that_?"

"You really _are_ dense," Aerith grumbled in exasperation. "He's declaring repeatedly _and_ in public that he's _your_ knight in shining armour... and you haven't even noticed!" While Tifa spluttered, the other girl efficiently organized their purchases and paid, not giving her the chance to change back into her skirt before whisking her outside.

The others were lurking at the mouth of the alley running behind the building; Tifa wondered why they were being so secretive, until she remembered that they were all fugitives. _Hopefully ShinRa will be too busy to bother with us for a while._

Cloud pushed himself upright as they approached, his expression unreadable. "'Bout time."

"We're ready for just about anything!" Aerith chirped, smiling brightly.

"Hopefully 'anything' will fit in the packs we bought," he dryly commented, eying the bulging shopping bag she hefted.

"We're already wearing most of it; this is just the bare necessities."

"Some of you are wearing a little too _much_, in my opinion," Cloud grumped, looking directly at Tifa.

"I'll attract less attention this way," she said reasonably, brushing imaginary dust off her new slacks and straightening the hem of her sweater as she returned his cowl. "Besides, it's a lot colder out here in the countryside than it was in Midgar."

Cloud grunted in acknowledgement, but he still didn't sound happy. Turning to Aerith, he handed her a long, silver rod. "Picked up a Full Metal Staff for you; with a little practice, you should be able to... _urk_!"

The end of the Staff was pressing against his Adam's apple, and he appeared rather surprised; Barret didn't bother muffling his delighted guffaw. Aerith winked and released the pressure, giving the rod a jaunty twirl before stowing it. "I grew up in the Slums," she shrugged. "A girl had to know how to defend herself."

Rubbing his throat, Cloud merely nodded thoughtfully. "You should stay out of the front line, though; you're more valuable as a healer."

Tifa helped pack the knapsacks with gear and food, the entire time feeling strangely reluctant to leave the relative shelter of the town for the unfamiliar dangers of the countryside. _I've been a city girl for too long, I guess. _Shouldering the pack, she bounced on the balls of her feet a few times.

"Don't overload yourself; let the others carry their own weight," commanded a voice very close to her ear, and she just managed not to jump. Cloud removed several items and split them between Barret and Red, then adjusted the strapsof her pack. "How's that feel?"

"Better. Thank you."

"Thought this Mythril Claw might come in handy." Showing her a curved piece of gleaming metal before tucking it into her knapsack, he murmured, "I'm gonna miss your skirt. I'd rather watch your legs than Barret's ass."

"Then don't walk behind him," she retorted.

Chuckling, he swatted her on the bottom before addressing the others. "Let's get the hell outta Kalm; it's a long hike to the Chocobo Farm."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	3. Down By The Bay

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix only slightly peeved.

**A/N:**'PDA' = Public Display of Affection, while 'PHS' = cell phone in the FFVII universe. 'Short-arm inspection' is a WWII military euphemism for the checking of servicemen's genitals by medical corpsmen for signs of venereal disease.

**Warnings:** coarse and suggestive language

**Bouquets** to my lovely betas, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Three: Down By The Bay**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Women are peculiar creatures.

They're also as _frustrating_ as hell – and I'm not talking about the teenage ninja materia menace we managed to acquire.

Take Aerith, for example. You'd think that being smacked around by a Turk just before another of 'em crushes hundreds of innocent people would kinda put you off them as a group. And yet, when I passed on Tseng's smarmy 'regards' to Aerith after we got out of the Mythril Mine, she only shrugged; I just don't get it.

As for the Turks, I also _really_ didn't like the way that Rude was checking out Tifa. He might've been wearing shades, but _I _could tell where he was lookin'. All that 'do you know who I am' crap, and then braggin' about what the Turks do for a living. As if _that's_ gonna impress any girl with a head on her shoulders, never mind one whose home and friends were _destroyed_ by a damn Turk. _Idiot._ All the same, I made a point of blocking his view with my sword; he seemed to take the hint.

After that, the days we spent trekking south to Junon completely tested my control where Tifa's concerned. Despite the continuous temptation – her new sweater made her more obvious assets resemble a pair of ripe Luchile nuts - I kept my hands to myself. Well, I was _supposed_ to be working on that 'trust' thing, too, so that helped. Sorta.

The main thing that drove me crazy was Tifa's skittishness about sleeping beside me; hell, it wasn't like we were rolling around naked or anything. She didn't have a problem snuggling in my arms _after _her nightmare woke everyone else up, but heading off the problem by sharing a bedroll right from the start? I thought her ears were going to burst into flame when Aerith pointedly suggested it. After the first night's unwanted reveille, the rest of the team unanimously elected Tifa to stand the graveyard watch if she chose to avoid bunking down with me. That says quite a bit, considering her ability to create some impressive meals out of basic ingredients over a cookstove and a campfire.

Had to watch her, though – she'd only keep a couple of mouthfuls for herself while making sure everyone else was well-fed; it took me longer than it should've to clue into what she was doing. My bowl was still three-quarters full when she set hers aside, and I'm pretty good at inhaling my chow because of mess hall training; if you wanted seconds on noodle night, you had to move fast. Tifa was on her way to becoming a liability if I didn't stop her, so I waited until the others were occupied elsewhere after the meal. Crouching beside her, I said, "I can't eat this much," and showed her the amount left.

Tifa quickly glanced around the group. "Give it to Red," she directed. "I doubt that Hojo fed him properly."

Bumping the bowl against her hand, I murmured, "Someone _else_ isn't being fed properly." Her head snapped up, her eyes wide… and then she bit her lip when she realized that I'd noticed.

"We _all_ have to stay strong – or it's game over," I said quietly. She ducked her head as she took the bowl; I seated myself next to her and honed my sword while she ate, but we both knew I was making sure she didn't sneak it to Red anyways. After that I made a point of checking her portion, and adding a scoop or two of mine if I thought she'd short changed herself. Aerith seemed to find my interest in Tifa's health extremely interesting; I often caught her giving Tifa these significant looks that involved a lot of arched eyebrows and head-tilts in my direction. I had no idea what was going on, but it made Tifa even more twitchy, and that wasn't a good thing. I decided that I was going to ask some questions, once I dealt with a few other issues.

Like the fact that the noise inside my head became steadily worse since Kalm; I started hearing voices, which was more than a little freaky, especially since one sounded exactly like Sephiroth. When we finally arrived in Junon, I decided that I was going to corner Tifa as soon as possible because I _needed_ her. After we defeated Bottomswell, and I resuscitated dolphin-girl, we were offered a place to stay by an onlooker; I hoped I'd be able to grab a few minutes alone with her.

No such luck. She and Aerith were too busy swapping recipes with our unexpected hostess to notice my subtle hints, so I gave up and instead watched Red and Barret go head-to-head over a chess board. The big guy's better at planning ahead than I gave him credit for. Yuffie had disappeared after helping with the dinner dishes; she was probably out practicing her ninja skills. I hoped that they wouldn't involve a visit later from the authorities.

A few hours later, I had dozed off on the sofa and suffered another visitation from an annoying voice when Aerith turfed Tifa out of the old lady's guest room with clearly-voiced orders to either sleep with me or out in the yard. She was bleary-eyed and vulnerable when she stumbled down the stairs, but I only felt slightly guilty when I took full advantage. I made sure I had a good grip on her before she was fully aware of what was up; when Tifa realized I wasn't just steadying her, she carefully searched my face.

"I need to talk to you," I murmured, aware of Barret and Red's intense scrutiny. "_Please_."

The politeness appeared to do the trick, because she allowed me to guide her into the foyer. "Cloud... I'm wearing my pyjamas!" she protested when she realized that I intended to take her outside.

I held onto her with one hand and pulled my cowl over my head with the other. "Here." She slowly put it on; I helped free her hair, mainly for the excuse to feel the silky length running over the back of my forearm. "We'll only be a few minutes."

"All right." For whatever reason, Tifa seemed unconcerned at being alone in my company; I wasn't going to question it. Instead, we stepped into our boots and went outside. "This is like Midgar," she commented as we carefully felt our way around the side of the house. "ShinRa building an installation over an existing town without any regard for the residents and their way of life."

"It's not _as_ bad – at least it isn't pitch-black all the time. Look, you can see the moonlight reflecting off the ocean," I said, pointing out over the harbour.

"Aren't those the lights on the Sister Ray?"

"And you say _I _know how to ruin a mood." I found a corner of the house, where the kitchen bumped out several feet; putting my back to the wall, I drew Tifa towards me. Her hand landed on my chest, but she wasn't pushing away; instead, she moved closer until I was tempted to slide my free arm around her. However, I restrained myself and merely laced my fingers with hers.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked.

"A couple of things... but first, I just want to be near you for a few minutes. I've missed spending time with my friend." Watching carefully for her reaction, a few of my suspicions were confirmed when her eyes dropped. Brushing her bangs out of the way, I caught her chin between my thumb and forefinger and tilted her face up to mine. "You've been avoiding me, Tifa."

Above our heads, dislodged masonry trickled down the side of the house, dusting my pauldron with powdered mortar and bits of moss. Tightening my grip on Tifa's hand to make sure she didn't slip away, I addressed the darkness. "If you try to eavesdrop on our conversation again, brat, I'll turn that thing you call a weapon into a set of garden trowels."

"You spiky-headed jerk!"

"Try workin' on that 'stealthy' stuff ninjas are _supposed_ to be good at." Without waiting for Yuffie to come up with another insult out of her loud but limited repertoire, I pulled Tifa towards the stairway to the beach. She was reluctant, but followed my lead. When we reached the sand, I made sure we were far enough from the seawall to discourage eavesdroppers before I seated myself. Tugging Tifa down with me, I settled her on my lap with a mind to keeping grit out of her night clothes. The breeze off the water was chilly, so I wrapped my arms around her with intentions of stealing a little of her body heat; her pyjamas were thick and warm. "All right – where were we?"

"Cloud..."

"Why are you keeping your distance?" I asked bluntly. Tifa squirmed like a little kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar - not that I was personally ever in that situation. Okay, maybe once or twice. Mom had strict rules about snacking between meals and a wooden spoon to back her up, but her honey twists were worth the pain...

"How do you know that protecting me is worth your life?" she finally whispered, twisting the hem of her pyjama shirt.

I blinked. "How do I...?" Covering her hand, I gently disentangled her fingers from the fabric while I thought for a few moments. Snatches of memory skated across my mind, but it was the overwhelming feeling in my bones that gave me the answer. "I've _always_ known, Tifa." It was her turn to blink. "You've been precious to me for as long as I can remember."

Even in the dim light, there was no mistaking her blush. "B-but... _why_?"

Shrugging, I answered, "I dunno; that's like tryin' to explain why the sun shines, or why Red's tail doesn't start brushfires." That earned me a tentative smile, so I felt brave enough to continue, "When you fell on Mount Nibel, I was too weak, and when Sephiroth razed Nibleheim, I was too late – but things are different now. _I'm_ different now, and I _will_ keep you safe."

I hoped for a reaction, maybe along the lines of a melting look followed by a kiss, so I was a little taken aback when Tifa defensively curled in on herself. It took her a long time to speak, and she was obviously stressed when she did. "Cloud... about Nibelheim... I don't remember things happening the same way as you do," she whispered.

Puzzled, I ran my hand up her back and under the cowl to lightly rub circles between her shoulder blades. The comments made by the annoying voice earlier that evening came back, and I ventured, "I can't remember spending time with you outside of the trip up to the reactor... but I'm _sure_ I must've, because I would've wanted to show off my SOLDIER, First Class uniform."

There was another very long pause. "I don't remember you being there, _except_ in the reactor," she blurted out.

"But you remember the materia fountain, right? That was so cool... _waitaminute_. Are you saying that you can't remember me being in Nibelheim _at all_?" She nodded, her expression almost desperate, and then I figured it out. "_That's_ why you've been avoiding me? Because you're embarrassed that you forgot?"

"Uh..."

Chuckling mightily because Tifa looked so cute, all wide-eyed confusion that I wasn't upset, I hugged her tightly. "You probably cracked your head when Sephiroth threw you down the stairs, so I'm not surprised; I was in the hospital for months after he stabbed me – I'm sure I've forgotten stuff, too. It doesn't matter, though – you recognized me when it counted, at the Midgar train station. And I still showed off my uniform, so it's all good."

Tifa sagged against my shoulder, I supposed in relief, so I took the opportunity to bury my nose in her hair; I'll admit to being more than a little pleased with how my scent overlaid hers and pretty smug that asshole Turk could only _dream_ of being this close to her. Then I wondered how long it would be before Tifa clued in that I was staking my claim on her by wrapping her in my clothing every chance that came up.

"Cloud?"

"Mm?" She sounded nervous again; I couldn't imagine what about, so I just cuddled her until she felt safe enough to tell me.

Sweet Shiva, you could've knocked me over with a Chocobo feather.

"Sometimes your eyes turn green... and it scares me, because... you look like Sephiroth."

That hit _way_ too close to home, considering I thought I heard his voice inside my head. " Like... Sephiroth?" She hunched up again, and my stomach twisted. _Shit._ "Did I hurt you?"

She pressed her lips together, as if they were stinging or something. "N-no."

"When?"

"In Kalm. In the alley."

Shaking my head, I tried to remember exactly what happened when Red and I had gone searching for her, but nothing was really clear until I had an image of Tifa backing away from me, a touch of fear mingling with puzzlement in her expression. "What did I _do_?" I demanded, panic rising. She was doing that pressing thing with her lips again, and the knot in my guts tightened.

"You were just, er, kinda aggressive." Tifa gently stroked her thumb over my chin in what was definitely a soothing gesture as she added, "I know you didn't mean to be so rough."

I concentrated on her touch instead of considering what 'rough' might have meant, exactly, so instead asked, "When did you first notice this change – in my eye colour?"

"Since the Tower." She peered up at me. "It's almost completely gone now; there's only a faint ring around your irises."

"When did it start disappearing?"

"Um..." Her hand dropped back into her lap before she mumbled, "After you kissed me."

My brain rapidly ticked over. "Are you willing to try an experiment?"

"Does it involve a really, _really_ cold mako spring?"

"Er... what?" At the last second, I recognized her attempt to lighten the tension, and weakly chuckled. "Next time my eyes turn green, will you make a point of getting close to me? Uh, don't let me be an asshole, or anything."

"Um, okay... why?"

Despite my best efforts, I blushed. Really hard. "A kiss from you made it go away, right?"

Tifa also turned red. "In front of _everybody_?" she squeaked.

I couldn't suppress the smirk. "Feel free to drag me into a darkened corner first. Just... don't tell the others why you're doing it, okay?"

"You're assuming they won't notice."

"If they say something, fine, but otherwise don't mention it." When she gave me a shirty look, I reluctantly added, "I don't want to be the crazy guy."

"You're _not _crazy."

"Okay... then I don't want to be seen as a liability."

Tifa gripped my hand tightly enough to hurt; the girl doesn't know her own strength sometimes. "You wouldn't leave us?" she gasped.

Her obvious panic that I might ditch them made me feel better. "Not planning on it," I answered, wiggling my fingers to make her loosen her grasp. "Can't keep my promise to you if I did... or keep Aerith out of Tseng's sweaty little clutches. That's why you can't tell the others, because they might have a different opinion on whether I should stay or go."

"All right; it's a deal."

"Good. Now that we've made up, can we get to the kissing part?"

"You have a one-track mind, don't you?"

"When it comes to you... pretty much." Shaking her head, but smiling anyways, Tifa pecked my cheek. "That's _it_?" I demanded.

"Between friends... yes," she replied, and I had the distinct feeling that she was testing something.

"That's the kinda kiss you'd give _Barret_," I growled, jutting out my lower lip. "As your friend _and_ personal protector, I think I rate something a little better than _that_."

"How much 'better'?"

"Lemme show you." It occurred to me that this might be what Tifa meant when she said I was 'aggressive', but it was too late to back out. I did my best to keep the contact gentle, and was rewarded when her lips softened against mine. A few minutes later, congratulating myself on leaving her flushed and dewy-eyed, but before I was tempted to push my luck, I levered us both upright. Dusting the sand off my butt, I made her squeak again by scooping her into my arms, but she helped by hanging onto my shoulders, which made keeping my balance much easier as I carried her across the shifting dunes.

I let her walk back to the house once we reached the top of the seawall stairs. She couldn't see as well as I could in the darkness, so I kept my arm around her the entire way; not that it was a huge sacrifice, or anything. Once we had kicked off our boots in the foyer, I ushered her into the living room… then discovered that someone had been busy in our absence. Our bedrolls were pointedly laid out beside each other in one corner of the room, opposite to where Barret snored on his bedroll and Red sprawled on the sofa.

Raising his furry head, Red murmured apologetically, "Aerith-sama insisted."

"We'll survive," I replied, laying my sword on the floor within easy reach. After a moment's thought, I removed my gauntlet and pauldron as well. "At least nobody has to stand watch in the dead of night… right, Tifa?"

Grumbling something unflattering under her breath as she tucked herself into her bedroll and fluffed one of the pillows, she otherwise didn't bite. After I slid into my bedding, I fitted myself against her back while draping my arm around her waist to keep her close. Tifa shivered lightly when I nuzzled the delicate skin just behind her ear, but the warning pinch she inflicted on my forearm was more of a token protest than a deterrent, so I nipped her ear just to be cheeky.

She 'harrumphed' sternly to show her disapproval, but after that, we lay quietly together until she suddenly remembered she was still wearing my cowl. When I prevented her from sitting up, she hissed, "I don't want to be strangled in my sleep by this thing!"

"You won't; you may have noticed that I'm still alive."

"Not for long," she threatened, but gave up trying to escape both my grip and my clothing. In fact, she actually rolled over to face me and snuggled up against my chest without any prompting; I hid my triumphant grin in her hair. A small victory, to be sure, but if she wasn't so stubborn, it wouldn't be half as much fun.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Tell me again why the _hell _we trusted those fucking Turks?"

"We don't… but you saw how Tseng got all pissy when Elena ran off her mouth."

"We're runnin' around like fucking Chocobos with our fucking heads chopped off," Barret grumbled, flexing his fingers as if he'd like to wring my neck. He woke up in a bitchy mood; probably had something to do with seeing Tifa sleeping contentedly in my arms.

I ignored him. "Sephiroth's here, somewhere. He's not going to pass up a chance to take out Rufus Shinra."

Red delicately scratched his ear with a long claw. "Cloud-san, if this Sephiroth is ridding the Planet of scum like Rufus Shinra, why are we trying to stop him?"

"Good point," I agreed. "It isn't Shinra's ass I'm trying to protect – it's everybody else's."

"Ah. So our goal is to _limit_ the casualties that Sephiroth may create if he attacks."

"Exactly."

"That fucking trumpet is gettin' on my nerves," Barret snarled, glaring up at the platform high overhead. "When're we goin' to move?"

"As soon as the girls are back. Not leaving them running around loose – especially the new one."

"I thought ninjas were supposed to be silent and deadly?"

"She probably skipped that lecture at her ninja academy because it was 'too boring'." While Red snorted into his paw and Barret snickered before remembering he was mad at me, I calmly gazed out to sea and basked in the way my cowl was thoroughly woven with Tifa's warm scent.

"Yoo-hoo!"

We all turned; Aerith waved cheerily, yet another shopping bag over her arm, while Yuffie bounced along, chattering non-stop, but I kept my smile for Tifa. "What's the word, ladies?"

"We saw a few ShinRa patrols," Aerith said off-handedly as she offered Barret what appeared to be a Cannon Ball and Red a Mythril Clip; after giving a passing thought to how she wasn't staggering under the weight of the Ball, I wondered how big a dent she'd put in our funds. We fought hard to earn what gil we could on the way here by reducing the Eastern Continent's monster population, but reserves are always a good thing. "We weren't even asked for our papers, so it doesn't appear that they're actively looking for us."

"Aerith wouldn't let me steal anything," Yuffie pouted, kicking at the seawall's coping stones.

Green eyes rolled for our benefit. "While your ambition is admirable, I think a Huge Materia is just a tad beyond your current capabilities. Plus, I doubt it would fit in your knapsack."

"_Feh_." Yuffie stuck her pert nose in the air. "I like a challenge."

Smirking, I looked to Tifa. "What else?"

"Rufus Shinra is sailing across the strait to Costa del Sol after his Inauguration," she supplied. "There's a ShinRa cargo ship in the harbour; its crew has been augmented by a detachment of marines."

"A cargo ship? That don' seem likely. Why would he use a boat when he's got a perfectly good chopper?" Barret argued.

"Who the hell cares? It's good news for us," I said. "I'm going topside to infiltrate the Welcome March; the rest of you sneak aboard the ship. That way we're covered, no matter where Sephiroth shows up."

"How come _you_ get to play soldier, Spiky?"

Addressing Red instead of our truculent teammate, I explained, "No offense, but there's only two of us that could pass as ShinRa infantrymen – and only _one_ that would do what the Commander orders, instead of tellin' him where he could shove his baton."

"A not unreasonable deduction, Cloud-san," Red purred, a distinct twinkle in his golden eye.

"How you goin' to get up there?" Barret demanded, scanning the support pillars. "I don' see no stairs."

"If Cloud was an awesome ninja like _me_, it'd be no problem!" Yuffie proclaimed.

"Sucks to be me," I answered shortly, unwilling to admit that Barret might be right – until I spotted a tower deep in the shadows and pointed. "That one has climbing potential."

"No, Mr. Strife! You'll be sizzled to a frizzle!"

"Priscilla! Are you feeling better?" Tifa asked the little girl, who beamed as she skipped up to us.

"Yes!" Suddenly shy, she scuffed her toe. "I'm really sorry about mistaking you for members of ShinRa yesterday."

"No problem, squirt," I replied, trying to figure out why she was warning me off the tower.

A positively blinding smile lit up Priscilla's small face. "This is for you – it's a special amulet that'll keep you safe, Mr. Strife." Holding out her fist, she waited expectantly until I opened my hand before dropping a glowing red ball into my palm.

Shiverin' Shiva. _Literally_.

I caught the way Yuffie's eyes sharpened greedily as I showed off the valuable Summon materia. "Thanks, Priscilla. Are you sure it's okay that you give this to me?"

"Yep!" As I added the materia to my array, making sure it was nice and secure, the little girl asked, "Why do you want to go up to the Welcoming March?"

"There's someone who wants to hurt ShinRa but wouldn't care if he destroyed Junon at the same time, and I want to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Oh! In that case, you're going to need some help from a friend of mine. That tower has a high-voltage current running through it." Bounding down the stairs, Priscilla called, "Follow me!" before tearing across the sand. She blew three sharp blasts on a whistle, and the response was immediate; out in the bay, a sleek dolphin leapt clear of the water in an incredibly high arc and then headed straight for the beach.

"Now ain't that somethin'!" Barret exclaimed, clearly impressed. "I ain't never seen no dolphin jump like that!"

"Sure hope I don't have to _speak_ dolphin," I muttered. "Tifa, you're in charge of Operation Cargo Ship."

"Me?" she asked in surprise.

Stooping, I whispered in her ear, "Our resident 'loose cannon' listens to you." When she nodded, I continued, "I _don't_ like sending you off without me, so be careful."

A small smile crinkled the corners of her vivid eyes. "I know... 'if you're not with me, you can't protect me'."

"Or engage in PDAs."

"Eh? Is that like a PHS?"

"It's another way of reaching out and touching someone." Grasping both of her hands, I kissed her on the mouth.

"_C-Cloud!_" she spluttered, turning scarlet as our teammates either snickered or scowled.

Grinning broadly, I let go and dodged out of range of Tifa's fists. "Aerith? Can you Minimize my sword again?"

"Sure!" she replied before smiling slyly. "Small, extra-small... or life-sized?" While Barret cackled, Yuffie's mouth dropped open as she looked between me, Aerith and Tifa; I could easily see the gears turning in her head.

"Big enough to impress the rest of the grunts during short-arm inspection." Unbuckling my pauldron, I handed it to Tifa along with my gauntlet; she looked like she'd rather whack me over the head with it. "See you on board."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	4. Come Sail Away

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix, sometimes with sand in their trunks.

**A/N:**Newlyweds in Japan do not necessarily wear Western-style wedding rings (or engagement rings, for that matter) because of the traditional view that a wedding is a joining of two families, not individuals.

**Warnings:** Coarse and suggestive language.

**Bouquets** to my beta, Ranuel, who has been extremely good-natured about being dragged into a new fandom; bribery in the form of Gackt has helped.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Four: Come Sail Away**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_Nauseating._

If I thought the carnage at the Tower set some kind of standard, the shambles in the ship's hold proved me dead wrong. The metallic stink of blood and internal organs sent me reeling back a step, while the contorted and dismembered bodies of the marines and crewmen slopped gently in the ankle-deep gore spreading across the deck. In the midst of the horror stood a silver-haired nightmare, who repeated the words of the voice inside my head just before things went kinda fuzzy...

... until my skull collided with a reinforced steel bulkhead.

If someone ever tells you that you 'hit like a girl', take it as a compliment; I suddenly had a great deal of sympathy for anyone nailed by one of Tifa's right hooks. "Dammit, woman... whose side are you on?" I slurred, not entirely sure that she hadn't cracked my jaw as I struggled to stay upright and almost failed. When I was finally able to focus my eyes, I jerked my gauntlet up in front of my face because she was obviously preparing to unleash a Somersault – on _me_. "_Tifa_! What the _hell_...?"

She froze in mid-step, the naval uniform somehow making her look both imposing and impossibly feminine at the same time; it musta been the way the collar emphasized her shoulders and bust. However, she didn't relax her stance. "Look at me," she sharply ordered. When I obeyed, Tifa intently stared at me for a long moment – before launching herself across the deck. Flinging her arms around me, she buried her face in my throat; the contact took me so off-guard in my confused state that it was several moments before I realized that she was chanting over and over, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

I slowly brought up my arms and carefully held her. With a sick feeling in my stomach that had nothing to do with my throbbing skull, I asked, "Did I go green again?" She rapidly nodded, and then her hand slid up around my neck to cradle the back of my head. Healing energy tingled and the pain vanished, allowing me to think somewhat straighter... but two things were obvious. One, Tifa had felt threatened enough to use considerable force to protect herself, and two, there was a large blank spot in my recall where Sephiroth should've been. "What happened?"

"Sephiroth said something about it 'being time', then disappeared and left this horrible monster to fight us," she whispered. "It was a really tough battle; it knocked Barret out and nearly did for Red, too."

"Then I turned on you."

"_No_." Tifa shook her head – or shuddered, it was hard to tell – but hugged me tighter. "I tried your experiment."

"And...?"

"Being close definitely calms you down."

"_How_ close?"

Her embarrassed squirm was highly distracting, but not enough to stop me from being appalled when she finally murmured, "It was really hard to breathe with your tongue half-way down my throat."

Dammit, that was _not_ how I wanted her to remember our first intimate kiss, and I was even more pissed because _I_ couldn't remember it.

"I'm sorry for hitting you so hard," Tifa murmured.

"Don't _ever_ apologize for defending yourself." I gently squeezed her.

"You... don't remember, do you?"

"No. Makes me wonder what else I've forgotten." The fact that Tifa was holding onto me so fearlessly after what I'd done amazed me; if I were her, I'd be running in the other direction. Yet, here she was, more worried about me than her own safety.

A shuffling sound interrupted; we broke apart as Red, still wearing his uniform but now on all fours, came around the corner. Spitting out a glowing red ball, he nosed it across the deck towards us. "The creature dropped this, Cloud-san," he said. "Come quickly; the ship is approaching the harbour and we must plan our exit."

"Be right there." Picking up the Summon materia, I let out a low whistle.

"What is it?" Tifa asked, straightening her top.

"_Ifrit_."

"No need to swear," she primly admonished.

I couldn't help grinning. "Yes, ma'am. However, Miz Lockhart, this is the Ifrit materia."

She frowned. "Why would Sephiroth leave us something that might actually be helpful?"

"Dunno." Filing that question away to be dealt with later, we followed the light cast by Red's tail-flare. I really wanted to keep Tifa close, but I figured that I would be pushing my luck; hell, I was lucky that she allowed me to touch her _at all_.

We found the others huddled between two large equipment lockers. Yuffie sat apart, miserable and silent with a fire bucket between her knees, while Aerith fussed over Barret, who definitely looked the worse for wear. Red shifted to make room for Tifa and I wedged myself in beside her. "Report."

"Rufus Shinra and his entourage sealed themselves inside the bridge when the attack began; the ship has therefore remained on course," Red reported.

"Was that silver-haired fucker _really_ Sephiroth?" Barret asked heavily. When Tifa nodded, he snarled, "If he hadn't shown up, I coulda taken out Rufus _and_ Heidegger, and avenged Sector Seven!"

Before Barret's rant could really get rolling, I said, "ShinRa's hoping to use Sephiroth as bait to finish us off."

"I wonder who they'd shoot first – him or us?" Tifa quietly mused.

I found her hand and squeezed it. "Also, Hojo has resigned his position as Chief Mad Scientist."

"_I_ would welcome the opportunity to encounter Professor Hojo outside his lab," Red growled darkly, and the hairs on the back of my neck prickled.

"Me, too," Aerith agreed, her tone of voice even more dangerous. "However, our first order of business is getting off this ship. You'd better change, Cloud; you stick out like a sore thumb in that army uniform." Rummaging in the shadows, she tossed me a sailor suit. "I'll Minimize your sword again."

"Downgraded from SOLDIER to an infantryman, then recruited into the ShinRa navy all in one day; there's still a few hours left – suppose I should try for a transfer to the _Highwind_." Nobody laughed, so I asked, "We're supposed to mingle with the deckhands and disappear into the crowd?"

"You got a better idea?" Barret challenged.

"They more than likely radioed ahead for a boarding party, so it's bound to be chaotic on the dock. This'll probably work."

The big man scowled. "Sephiroth must still be on the ship somewhere, unless he can fly."

"He probably can - his magical properties are off the charts," I replied as I stood up. "Don't forget that the bastard isn't fully human."

Barret's response stopped me cold. "With all that mako inside ya… you ain't, neither."

I was totally taken aback, but Tifa rose to my defence. "By that same reasoning, the gun on your arm makes _you_ less than fully human," she said mildly enough, but the underlying rebuke was clear. "Your modifications make both of you better at protecting the people you care about." Barret subsided, and the moment passed.

I ducked around the other side of the equipment locker and was heartened when Tifa followed. Shaking out the uniform shirt, she straightened the collar and knotted the scarf once I put it on. She turned her back when I changed into the wide-legged trousers, then stopped me from tucking the hems into my boots. Stooping, I pressed my forehead against hers in silent thanks, and felt immeasurably better when she smoothed the heavy material over my chest.

Catching up the discarded army uniform, I used it to wipe off my blade before carrying it back for Aerith's attentions. Behind me, Tifa called to Red; while Aerith shrank my sword, the stink of burning wool announced the destruction of the evidence of my brief second career in the ShinRa infantry. Tucking the now dagger-sized weapon into my belt, I inspected our green-about-the-gills ninja; Yuffie gave me a truly pitiable look.

"If you were an awesome SOLDIER like me, you wouldn't have a motion sickness problem," I smirked before pulling her to her feet. She lurched, and Aerith swung the bucket over just in time to avoid a bigger mess… but it also gave me an idea. "We have a casualty that requires escort to the infirmary," I announced. "All Yuffie has to do is puke on the first guy that challenges us, and they'll let us through the cordon."

Red clawed his way free of the naval uniform, leaving it in pieces on the deck. Giving himself a good shake, he said, "I will swim for shore, rather than jeopardize your escape."

"All right. We'll regroup on the north end of the beach, as far away from the harbour as possible."

"Good luck to you all." In a fluid leap, he was gone.

In the pause following Red's departure, Aerith commented, "I thought cats hated water?"

A klaxon began furiously ringing, followed by a loudspeaker blaring, "_All remaining hands on deck! Docking in Costa del Sol in five minutes - prepare to receive the boarding party!_"

"That's our cue," I said. "Hey... what about Barret's gun?"

"I have an idea," Aerith said. "I meant to try it out earlier, but now's an even better time." Turning to Barret, she cast the Minimize spell on his weapon and reduced it to a knobby metal cap on the end of his arm.

"What the hell ya doin', missy?" he demanded, horrified, but Aerith was already bustling away. Retrieving Red's trashed uniform shirt, she briefly disappeared in the direction of the hold-of-horrors and came back with it soaked in blood.

Briskly wrapping the dripping fabric around his stump, she said, "A bleeding amputee will guarantee our quick passage through security, so Yuffie doesn't have to worry about 'performing'. I suspect she'll be fine once we're on solid ground." The teenager waved weakly, her head again in the bucket. "Cloud, you and Tifa will support Barret; I'll help Yuffie. That way you three are still in the front line if we end up fighting our way out."

"As soon as we're off the ship, aim for the closest cover. If it's a typical cargo dock, there should be stacked containers an' crap like that nearby," I said. Glancing up at Barret as I ducked under his 'uninjured' arm, I cheeked, "Hey, sailor... lookin' for a good time?"

"Shut up, Spiky."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Costa del Sol certainly lived up to its name, and when you're hunkered down between two steel shipping containers with the sun blasting from directly overhead, you know _exactly_ how it feels to be roasted alive. We sweated it out, waiting for Yuffie to deliver on her promise of gear that would allow us to blend in with the crowds of holiday-makers. Tifa worried me because she was visibly drooping despite having stripped down to her tank top and mini-skirt. I had doffed my sweater and rolled up my trousers, but that didn't do a thing to stop the sweat from rolling down my back; my underwear was soaked and I was gonna have one helluva wedgie when we finally moved.

"I wonder if Red made it?" Aerith said, holding her hair away from her neck.

"Bet he's a lot cooler than us," Tifa sighed, mopping ineffectually at her brow while I watched a single bead of liquid trickle down the graceful column of her throat.

"Here we go, kids!" Yuffie cheerily exclaimed, squeezing down the narrow passage between the containers and already looking a lot more comfortable in a sporty swimsuit. "Don't shoot the messenger - I guessed on the sizes."

"Tough to eyeball when you're pinchin' 'em," Barret muttered, examining with a jaundiced expression the bright trunks and even louder floral short-sleeved shirt she dropped in his lap.

"Where's the rest of it?" Tifa asked, plainly dismayed by the skimpy triangles of fabric dangling from her fingers. I tried not to picture how she was going to look in the bikini, because otherwise I'd have even more trouble unbuttoning my fly. Yuffie handed over a length of gauzy fabric; Tifa still didn't look impressed. While Barret and I turned our backs, she and Aerith changed in the middle of the passage. When they were finally ready, I had to force myself to not stare because both girls looked _amazing_. I mean, their usual clothes don't hide their curves - and I _have_ seen Tifa naked - but all that glistening, bare skin was almost too much to take.

Aerith glanced at me and rolled her eyes. Elbowing Tifa, she said, "Cloud's going to shrivel up from moisture loss if he keeps drooling like that."

"I'm not drooling! I'm just, uh, _admiring_."

"Oh, silly me; I could've _sworn_ you were ogling." Proving her point, a pair of dark-coloured trunks and a tank top thwapped me in the face. "Hurry up and change so we can get out of this oven, already!"

Quickly yanking off my sweat-soaked clothing, I was relieved when the trunks fit, more or less. Aerith was showing Tifa how to tie the flimsy fabric at her hip, creating a long skirt that showed a delicious length of leg with every step. However, that distraction didn't do a damn thing to deflect attention from her spectacular bosom, which was barely contained by a bikini top that was at least a size too small.

"So much for bein' inconspicuous," Barret rumbled, jerking his head in the girls' direction as he draped a towel over his truncated gun-arm.

"Could be interesting," I agreed, stuffing my gear into my pack and making sure my pint-sized sword was easy to deploy. The jewelled decoration in Aerith's hair caught my eye; she'd twisted up the heavy length with a silver pin. On closer inspection, it turned out to be her miniaturized Full Metal Staff. Yuffie's shuriken had also been treated to the same spell; it looked like she had a stylized pinwheel clipped to her bathing suit.

"Are we ready?" Yuffie asked, obviously itching to start pillaging the local merchants. "There's a big fancy house called the President's Villa – I saw Rufus Shinra's chopper landing inside the fence - just beyond the port at the south end of the beach, and then it's pretty much wall-to-wall food stalls, bars and tacky souvenir shops all the way up the strip. The pickings are so easy, I'm almost ashamed of myself for taking advantage!"

"Did you hear any rumours about Sephiroth?" I asked.

"Nothing - no one seems to know about the attack, period."

"A boatload of dead sailors and a resurrected madman on the loose would spread panic, and that's not in the best interests of ShinRa," Aerith pointed out. "We were lucky to escape the lock-down, thanks to Heidigger's tantrum. Now, can we get out of here? I think my brain is melting."

"Follow me!"

As Yuffie led the way out of the maze of containers, Aerith poked Barret. "I'm going to miss your sailor suit," she said mischievously. "You were so cute in it!"

"I _ain't_ 'cute'," he growled, but the colour in his already-ruddy cheeks went up a notch.

"Maybe you could use it for pyjamas?" Tifa suggested, distractedly shoving her boots into her pack.

"I ain't wearin' no fuckin' ShinRa uniform," Barret said flatly. "You of _all_ people should know that."

"Er, sorry. The heat must be getting to me."

I shot Barret a pointed glare as Aerith hooked her arm through Yuffie's. In response to the teen's surprised look, she said, "No recreational pilfering, ninja-girl. We don't need an angry mob after us."

Yuffie's brows lowered before she smiled slyly. "But _necessary_ pilfering is okay?"

"Food and drink, because the evidence can be quickly disposed of... but not materia."

"Feh. Materia qualifies as a necessity to _me_!"

Giving Yuffie's arm a warning squeeze, Aerith turned to us. "Here's how it goes. You two are the 'newlyweds', me and the ninja princess are the 'wedding party', and Barret is the 'favourite aunt's husband'. We're all meeting up on the beach the day after your nuptials..."

The look on Tifa's face was absolutely priceless. "_W-what?"_ she finally managed to splutter; I stayed quiet and just listened, because there was absolutely _no_ safe response to a plan like that.

"How else would you explain a mismatched group like us at a resort town like this?" Aerith shrugged. "You have to admit, it's a good cover story if we're challenged. Besides, if Tifa's a 'married woman', only a real idiot would make a pass at her – so act like newlyweds, already."

"What about _you_?" Tifa demanded, totally non-plussed.

"My tomboy 'kissing cousin' here will teach them some manners, and my 'uncle' over there will explain that I'm engaged," she replied. "You first, 'Uncle Barret'. Start working your way up the beach and find a patch of sand where we can spread a mat. 'Cousin Yuffie' and I will follow shortly after, with the 'newlyweds' last... because, y'know, they slept in after their _long_,_ hard_ night." The heavy innuendo made Tifa turn almost purple.

"So... who're you engaged to, 'Cousin Aerith'?" I teasingly asked in an attempt to divert attention away from Tifa, in hopes that she'd start breathing again.

Aerith stilled, her clear green gaze locked onto mine. "A tall, dark, handsome SOLDIER with the most beautiful deep-blue eyes I've ever seen," she answered.

"He sounds memorable," I quipped, then wondered why her expression darkened.

Giving herself a little shake, Aerith made shooing motions at Barret. "Off you go, 'Uncle'. Try to find a spot that isn't over-run with ShinRa riff-raff"

"Shouldn't we hurry to meet up with Red?" Tifa asked, her cheeks still flaming.

"We need to eat and gather information before we take off into the wilds again," Aerith said. "Red's probably enjoying not having to deal with humans for a while."

"But still... we shouldn't take too long."

"We won't."

Barret gave an excellent impression of a man without a care in the world as he strolled across the promenade, heading towards the broad stairs descending to the golden sand. Aerith and Yuffie followed after a short interval, throwing themselves into the roles of giggly vacationers with a little _too_ much gusto, in my opinion, since they attracted quite a bit of leering male attention as they disappeared into the crowds thronging the beach.

I wasn't going to push the 'newlywed' thing because Tifa was so flustered, so I simply asked, "Ready?"

Smiling gamely, she tucked her hair behind her ears and slung her pack over one shoulder. "Sure."

Taking her hand in mine, I glanced around to make sure we were unobserved as we ventured out. The temperature dropped the moment we left our hiding place... unfortunately. The sea breeze might've been cooling, but it also had a rather dramatic effect on Tifa's nipples, which naturally drew attention to the rest of her incredible figure. As we sauntered along the sand, several off-duty infantrymen – obvious by their matching pairs of ShinRa-issue swim trunks – wolf whistled from the safety of their groups of buddies. Tifa tightened her grip on my fingers; I was in mid-swagger when she peeked sideways at me and murmured, "I'd whistle at you, too."

I stumbled. "You would, huh?" Kissing her knuckles, I took the opportunity to pull her closer. The sensation of skin against skin as I slid my arm around her bare waist didn't go unnoticed by either of us; Tifa leaned into me and tentatively returned the gesture as we wove between the groups of oiled bodies basking in the sun. If my blade wasn't poking into my thigh with every step and there wasn't a pair of blood-coated boots in my pack to remind me of recent, messy deaths, it would've been easy to pretend that we really were vacationers looking forward to a day enjoying the waves.

Barret waved from where he lounged on a woven mat; someone – probably Aerith - had outfitted him with a disreputable straw hat. "All he needs is a jug of cider, and he'd look just like Mr. Watkins," Tifa commented. "Remember? He used to sit out under his apple tree in the back yard in the summer, wearing a scruffy old hat like that."

"And throw his clogs at you if he caught you stealing his apples. Those suckers _hurt_."

Tifa laughed merrily, a clear, delighted sound that I hadn't heard often enough. "I can't believe you did that!"

"Stolen fruit is the sweetest," I smirked as we sat down with Barret.

"Funny you should say that..." Yuffie was grinning like a madwoman as she started emptying her bag while Aerith spread a cloth.

"I'm guessing that you didn't leave any tips," I commented, eyeing the spread of grilled fish, vegetables and fruit.

"Aerith made me pay for most of the food, but I refused to pony up for drinks! Their prices are highway robbery!"

Tifa wrapped up several skewers of fish and tucked them into her knapsack. "For Red," she clarified before taking something for herself.

Aerith selected a skewer and dipped it in a container of sauce while treating us to a contemplative inspection. "C'mon, you two… you don't look very authentic."

"Authentic…?"

She wiggled her hands. "Touchy-feely. Snuggly. Y'know… 'just had the best sex of your lives and can't keep your hands off each other'." Tifa managed to not choke, but I sprayed my drink across the sand. Our tormentor just rolled her eyes. "Honestly. You two might as well have flashing signs over your heads reading 'VIRGINS'. Tifa, sit more carefully, like you're tender in delicate areas."

"Hey! Who're you callin' a virgin?" I protested while Tifa defensively re-crossed her legs.

Giving me a sardonic look, Aerith selected a cluster of berries and began stripping them from their stalks. I glared right back and tore the chunks of fish off a skewer in a manly fashion, like I needed to build back up my stamina after a strenuous night. Barret appeared vastly amused at my discomfiture, while Yuffie pretended she wasn't with us.

Tifa picked out a large, red-skinned fruit and examined it curiously. Peeling it to reveal rich golden flesh, she made a delighted noise after she bit into it. "Oh, this is _really_ good!" she exclaimed, completely distracting me with the way she was using her tongue to lap up all the juice coating her fingers.

Yuffie glanced over, feigning disinterest. "Those're a speciality of Wutai," she said. "You're from Midgar, and you've never had one?"

"We're from the Midgar Slums," Aerith answered. "Exotic produce like this never made it off the Plate to _our_ markets."

Cocking her head like an inquisitive bird, Yuffie asked, "Whaddya mean, 'off the Plate'?" and Aerith launched into a detailed description of Midgar's architecture and social structure, with Barret putting in his two-gil-worth now and again. I listened with half an ear, because I was admiring the way Tifa ate the fruit. She was savouring every mouthful, chasing down every drop of golden juice that tried to escape, and it was sexy as hell to watch her enjoying herself so much.

When several drops landed on her cleavage, Tifa quickly glanced around to see if anyone noticed, and caught me licking my lips as I watched them sliding over the curves of her breasts and disappearing into the valley between. I figured she'd go all bashful, but she surprised me by instead shyly offering to share her prize. Catching hold of her sticky wrist, never taking my eyes off hers, I sucked a bit of pulp off her pinky finger and saw the colour rise in her cheeks before biting into the fruit.

"That _is_ really tasty," I casually remarked, rolling the rich flavour around my mouth. Taking a second bite, I released her with a light caress of the sensitive skin on the inside of her wrist. She covered her fluster with another mouthful of fruit. A drop escaped onto her chin and I captured it on my fingertip, then pressed it to her lips. Tifa blushed even more, but hesitantly obliged, sending a jolt of arousal straight to my crotch when her tongue lightly flicked the pad of my finger.

"Now _that's_ more like it!" Aerith commented, reminding us that we had an audience just when things were getting _good_, dammit. Tifa twitched and started moving back, but I wasn't in the mood to allow a retreat.

Yanking off my shirt and pulling Tifa to her feet as I stood up, I said curtly, "We're going for a swim."

"Better leave the cover-up here, then," Aerith blandly directed. Tifa still held the half-eaten fruit in one hand and I had hold of the other, so I picked open the knot at her hip and let the filmy fabric flutter to the sand.

"Back in a few minutes. Yuffie, touch our materia and die a very slow, _very_ painful death." She stuck out her tongue, but stopped sizing up our knapsacks; Barret made a point of tucking them behind his bulk for good measure as I guided Tifa towards the surf.

"Um… Cloud…?"

"How else did you plan to wash off the juice?"

"Oh. Right." Since she relaxed, I decided against adding that if I had my way, I'd rather use my tongue than seawater. "Er, do you want the last piece?" Holding out the large white pit with one succulent chunk of gold still attached, she smiled invitingly and I had to restrain myself from tackling her to the sand right then and there. Instead, I clasped her hand between mine and backed into the water, pulling her along until we were knee-deep and she was squeaking about the chill. Tugging her close, I slowly nibbled the flesh away from the pit, brushing my lips over her fingers until she was wide-eyed. Extracting the pit out of her grip, I threw it over my shoulder. "C'mon… time to get wet."

Scooping her up, I spun around and charged full-tilt into the waves; Tifa let out a girlish shriek as she threw her arms around my neck and tried to hitch herself higher in my arms. When we were deep enough, I swung us both in a circle, sending up a bow wave that surged around our shoulders and sent a shower of glittering droplets spraying over our heads.

"C-Cloud! _S-stop_, p-please!" she gasped, still giggling madly.

"Why?" I slowed down our mad whirl.

"I'm afraid I might lose my top!"

"I fail to see the problem."

"_You_ wouldn't!" she chortled. I let go of her legs and allowed her to stand; because of the depth, she was on her tip-toes and wobbling in the current, so I pulled her snugly against me. There was a moment of stillness where the sounds of the activity around us, the waves, the sea birds, the other swimmers, all receded. The cool water made the heat everywhere our skin touched even more obvious, and my libido emphatically responded. Tifa's arms were still looped around my neck; she was tense, no doubt because my stance was full of masculine intent. I nuzzled her forehead, wanting her to look up; when she finally obeyed, the wary look in her beautiful eyes wilted my intentions - literally.

In a heartbeat, I went from predator to puppy. _Damn_... but, after what happened on the cargo ship earlier, it was probably a good thing.

"Will you help me out?" she whispered, and I refocused with an effort.

"How?"

"Put another knot in the strings?"

"Strings?"

"Of my top."

"Uh, sure." She stretched higher on her toes, arching her graceful neck and allowing me access to the skinny ties that were fighting a losing battle to restrain her breasts. The friction of her generous curves sliding up my chest briefly scrambled my brains, and for about half a second I thought about 'accidentally' loosening the knot, but that would've _definitely_ screwed any trust that I might've built. I did as she asked and tied a knot that would take either a very determined friend – or a very sharp knife – to undo. "This one, too?" When I tugged on the lower set of strings securing the top, she nodded; I didn't miss the tiny shivers skating over her skin when I completed the job. "Are you getting cold?"

"N-no."

Tapping her nose, I sternly said, "Don't fib."

"Okay... I am." She curved her shoulders towards me as if trying to trap the warmth between us. "After that roasting earlier, I didn't think I'd _ever_ cool down enough to complain of being too cold!"

Hugging her close, but keeping my hands in neutral territory, I stifled a sigh. "Let's go back to the others, then." When I let her go, Tifa held on for just a moment longer and brushed a kiss over the point of my chin.

"Thank you," she murmured before tucking her hand into mine.

I laced my fingers with hers. "What for?"

"I feel a little guilty, because of everything that happened today... but it felt _good_ to laugh."

"Yeah."

As we half-swam, half-walked back to the beach, Tifa said, "Maybe someday, when all this is over, we can come back here."

"Just the two of us?"

Her answering smile was soft and sweet, and only for me. "Sure."

"_That's_ worth looking forward to."

With a mischievous grin, she suddenly slipped loose and sprinted through the shallows. "Race you!"

"Hey! No fair!" I bolted after her, but then slowed up, because the rear view of Tifa's ass and long, slender legs was worth 'losing' for. Luckily I'd knotted those bikini strings extra-tight, because I seriously doubted that she would've escaped breaking a few public-nudity ordinances otherwise.

"Looks like you've cooled down nicely," Aerith said coyly when I plopped down beside Tifa.

"Water's great; you should give it a try," I calmly answered.

She shook her head, the Full Metal Staff twinkling innocently in her hair. "I'm having trouble getting used to the sky, never mind the ocean, too."

"How's that, missy?" Barret roused himself from contemplating the inside of his eyelids.

Twirling her thumbs, Aerith replied, "Growing up in Midgar's perpetual night... all this bright sky and sunshine is kinda scary. I never thought that the dark could be so comforting." Smiling wryly, she added, "I used to be frightened of the very _idea_ of the sky, you know. That it was so vast, so endless – it used to give me nightmares."

"What changed?"

"Someone taught me that blue skies were beautiful, not scary. He promised that one day, we'd watch clouds together."

Yuffie pointed at me. "Well, you get to watch _a_ cloud all the time," she snickered.

I made a rude gesture in Yuffie's direction before noticing the tightness in Aerith's smile; she looked almost resentful. While I puzzled over that, she continued, "He was mistaken about something, though."

"What's that?" Tifa asked; her cautious tone warned me something was _definitely_ up.

"He said his eyes were sky-blue, but I now know that they were the colour of dusk." Aerith's glance flickered over me, and she said in a resigned tone, "We should head out."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

We successfully navigated the obstacle course of blankets, picnickers and small children on our way towards the headland rising above the north end of the beach where Red waited, doing our best to look as if we were merely out for a stroll. An onshore breeze had picked up, and Tifa donned her sweater over her bikini top. She innocently left it unzipped low enough to tantalize the more primal parts of my brain, and after approximately twelve seconds of inappropriate thoughts regarding her cleavage, I reached over and zipped the neckline fully closed to prevent anyone else from ogling.

Turned out that was a good thing, because when we ran into a completely unwelcome sunbather a few minutes later, I only felt like cutting his throat instead of also gouging out his eyes.

In hindsight, I shoulda done both.

Yuffie was showing off by turning handsprings on the sand, egged on by Tifa and Barret, when Aerith stopped dead in her tracks and clutched at my arm. "Cloud?" The barely restrained panic in her voice instantly put all of us on alert. "Isn't that Professor Hojo?"

Tifa clenched her fists. "I didn't realize this beach was polluted."

"Red's gonna be pissed," Barret calmly observed.

A gaggle of highly decorative girls surrounded Hojo, plying him with drinks and snacks as he reclined on a canvas lounge chair. On second glance, they were a hard-edged crowd; too much lacquer in their hair and on their nails, their voices a tad too shrill and their flashy swimsuits covering far too little of artificially enhanced figures. Not that I was looking too closely; my attention was on their oily patron. Just the sight of him made something unpleasant slither down my spine and curl in my guts. "I'm gonna talk to him."

Sliding my hand into my pocket and gripping my sword, I strode towards the former ShinRa scientist, only to have one of the women step in front of me. "This is a private party, handsome... but I'm available later," she simpered, running her bright red fingernails down my chest; I barely stopped myself from flinching

"Not interested; I'm here for Hojo."

She pouted her glossy scarlet lips. "He isn't into boys."

"Neither am I." Pushing past her, I glared the rest of the harem into staying put and took up a menacing stance at the foot of the lounger.

Hojo set aside his umbrella-adorned drink and inspected me over the rim of his circular lenses. "Well, well, well - if it isn't Cloud Strife, ShinRa's most infamous escapee. What do you want, boy?"

"Sephiroth's location." I kept my voice flat.

"What makes you think I'd know anything about _that_?" he coyly asked, propping his chin on his finger.

Behind me, I could hear Barret filling in Yuffie on Hojo's crimes; I hoped I'd have time to dodge if she threw her shuriken. "Sephiroth returns and you resign from ShinRa; seems a bit _too_ coincidental, when the rest of your slimy buddies are all scrabbling for favour with Rufus."

He tapped his chin again, and I irrationally noticed that his nails were manicured. "Tell me, boy, what number where you assigned? I can't quite recall."

"What?" I had an uneasy feeling that he wasn't talking about my enlistment number; some of my hesitation must have showed on my face, because Hojo laughed unpleasantly.

"If you wish to find Sephiroth, simply follow your instincts."

"My... instincts...?"

Pushing his glasses up his nose until the lenses glittered in the sunlight, he lightly suggested, "Haven't you had the feeling lately that something is calling you? A 'hunch', perhaps, to go to a particular place?"

That struck a little too close to home; how _did _I know that Sephiroth had gone to the Mythril Mine? I shifted my feet; Hojo smirked.

"You were a very interesting test subject, Cloud Strife," he purred. "You're welcome in my lab any time."

Anger instantly blazed through me; I went for my sword, but suddenly Tifa was there, using her whole body to trap my arm against my side. "Don't," she hissed. "Not yet, anyways."

Adjusting his glasses, Hojo surveyed her figure. "You'd be a _fine_ candidate for the next breeding Project, miss." His eyes narrowed as he looked past us. "You, there – the Cetra. I meant to ask you before - how's your lovely mother?"

"Dead," Aerith briskly replied, coming up beside us. "I have a question. Are Jenova and Sephiroth also of Cetra blood?"

While I tried to regain control of myself, one of Tifa's hands gently rubbing soothing circles on my lower back while the other one was wrapped firmly around my wrist so I couldn't draw my sword, Hojo folded his hands on his chest and regarded Aerith for a few moments... then smiled. "I suggest you head west, to find the answers to your questions." Reaching for his drink, he took a long swallow before imperiously waving us away. "If you'll excuse me, I have important work to do."

"Such as?" Aerith sniped, sneering at the flashy women.

"Working on my tan, of course."

Tifa planted her fists on her hips and glowered down at him while Aerith pulled me back to where Yuffie and Barret waited, but not fast enough for me to miss her steely words. "If I _ever_ find out that you hurt Cloud, the Planet won't be big enough for you to hide."

"Don't make idle threats," Hojo said dismissively.

"_Trust _me, professor," Tifa snarled. "I'm _not_."

Turning on her heel, she stalked after us and gave up all pretence of being an idly-strolling vacationer as she stormed towards the rocky headland that bounded the north end of the beach. After several minutes of the cracking pace, Yuffie puffed, "Shouldn't we, y'know, slow down or something? We're being kinda obvious."

"I want to put as much distance as quickly as possible between us and that jerk," Tifa fumed, but she stopped and waited for us to catch her. Our eyes met, and she faltered, then came towards me, reaching for my hand. The others went on ahead while we stood close, our heads bowed together. Nuzzling her hair, I breathed in her warmth and felt my tension slipping away. Tifa pressed her hand against the fabric covering Sephiroth's mark on my chest and whispered fiercely, "I _won't_ let you be hurt by anyone from ShinRa _ever_ again."

Shiva, she _bled_ trying to keep that promise.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	5. Prison Break

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly confused.

**A/N:**The implausible set-up for the Corel Prison sequence annoys the hell out of me so I altered it, and to the person on the _Advent Children _production team who decided that Cait Sith would have a Scottish accent in the English dub – wtf were you smoking?

**Warnings:** Coarse and suggestive language, artistic license.

**Bouquets** to my generous betas, Empatheia and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Five: Prison Break**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Come with me."

Cloud's voice was as flat as ever, but Tifa detected the underlying strain and immediately rose to her feet. The rest of the group looked on, their curious expressions illuminated by the campfire; however, he offered no explanation, just led the way into the darkness.

"Wait a minute… not all of us have your night vision," Aerith called, tossing Tifa a flashlight.

"Thanks." Clicking on the beam, she hurried after the swordsman, grateful for the protection of her slacks as she brushed against prickly vegetation. _The terrain changed so quickly once we left Costa del Sol!_ It had been warm until the sun went down, but then they had to break out their heavier clothing. Cloud was apparently immune to the chill and had muffled her in his cowl as soon as they stopped for the night. _There's nobody to send 'the message' to, so I don't understand why - but I'm not complaining!_

"Over here." Bright blue glowed from her left, and she angled towards him.

"What's up?"

"Something Hojo said is eating at me."

"Me, too," Tifa muttered. _I should've wrung the jerk's neck until he told us everything!_ "Er… what are you doing?"

Cloud shrugged out of his shoulder straps. "I want you to check my back and butt for ShinRa markings," he answered.

"M-markings?"

"Tattoos... or maybe brands?" he grimaced.

"Um, this isn't really necessary," Tifa protested, her eyes widening as he began unbuckling his belt. "I've, er, seen you without any clothes."

"Yeah, but you weren't lookin' for stuff like _that_." His attempt at a cheeky grin came out lopsided. "Bet you were checkin' out _other_ stuff."

"I was _not_."

"Uh-huh."

"There wasn't anything worth seeing," she sniffed.

"Suuure about that?"

"_Yes_."

"Better take another look." His trousers fell to his ankles and Tifa yelped as she spun around. Cloud chuckled, then his gloved hands landed on her shoulders and tried to turn her back. She squawked and resisted, until he said, "It's dark, if you haven't noticed, and I _am_ wearing underwear…."

"Er, right," she agreed sheepishly, turning to face him.

"... most of the time."

"_Eep_!"

"Kidding. But you _do_ have to look at my ass."

Tifa groaned in defeat. "I guess this falls under the heading of 'things friends do for each other'?"

"Shit, don't make like you're gonna be scarred for life."

"I _might_ be."

"Way to make a guy feel good about himself."

"I'm sure I would've seen something when we were in the bathroom at 7th Heaven – when you were a girl," she said desperately.

"If my balls disappeared, who knows what else might have gone missing?"

"Not your ego, that's for sure." Tifa took a deep breath and moved around behind him. As he first shoved up his sweater and then slid his boxers down over his hips, she played the flashlight's beam over his bared skin. "I don't see anything," she finally said, trying not to admire the toned muscles on display.

"Nothing like Red's tattoo?" The undergarment slipped lower, revealing lean thighs.

"_Definitely_ not! What made you think of that?"

"When Hojo asked about the number I'd been 'assigned'." Tugging up his boxers, Cloud bent over to pull his trousers back into place. "Made me wonder if he had somehow got his greasy little hands on me."

"When?" Tifa gasped, horrified.

His entire body tensed. "I have fuzzy memories of what I thought was a hospital," he slowly admitted, tucking in his sweater. "But maybe… maybe I was in Hojo's lab, because when he suggested that I 'come back' – I lost it. You saw that."

She helped straighten his straps, using the excuse of touching him to reassure herself. "If that was even _remotely_ possible, it's more likely that he'd mark you somewhere more visible."

"The guy is _obviously_ warped."

"I won't disagree with that." Touching his arm, Tifa cautiously brought up one of her own concerns. "Hojo called you an 'escapee', but the troopers in Midgar referred to you as a 'deserter'… um, which one is the truth?"

"Beats the hell out of me," Cloud said bitterly. He bowed his head, hiding his eyes behind his bangs. "To be honest, I don't remember much between fighting Sephiroth in the reactor and meeting you at the train station."

"Th-that's _five years_." Tifa reeled, more questions tumbling around her already overworked mind, until she noticed that Cloud's shoulders were hunching and his arms had crossed defensively over his chest as if he expected rejection. Prying at his arms until he loosened them, she quickly stepped close and hugged him tightly. _All those small scars on the front of his body... they could be scalpel marks, not battle wounds._ She was startled by the strength of his response when he clutched her like a drowning man, while the idea that Cloud had possibly been experimented on made her stomach turn. "If Hojo did something to you, he's a dead man."

"I don't have any proof... just some disjointed images that might not even be true memories," he rasped.

"You've lost five years of your life; _someone_ is going to pay for that," she insisted.

He straightened and released her, but then caught hold of her hand. Kissing her fingertips, he murmured, "Thanks." She smiled back, and he stayed close as they made their way through the undergrowth.

When they walked into the circle of firelight, Aerith arched her eyebrows. "That must've been _some_ quickie." While Tifa stopped dead in confusion, the other girl gave Cloud's crotch a significant look.

He smirked as he buttoned his fly. "Just because it was fast doesn't mean it wasn't _good_."

Tifa immediately volunteered to take the first watch.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_Five years as a laboratory animal... I mean, we don't know if that's what happened, but it could explain why his memories of Nibelheim differ so greatly from mine. And why I didn't hear anything about him the entire time I lived in Midgar._ Tifa pulled Cloud's cowl up over her head in an attempt to wring a little bit more warmth out of her clothing while staying alert to her surroundings and on track with her thoughts, but she found that the last two activities cancelled each other out. _But... if he was being held in a lab, then he wouldn't have been able to read the incident reports – and I'm back to square one._ _Argh._ An errant tree root caught the toe of her boot and she nearly fell; hopping on one foot while rubbing her ankle, Tifa cursed her lack of concentration. However, her thoughts quickly drifted back to Cloud, and the strong sense of indignation at what ShinRa might have done to him came roaring back.

She was working up a full head of steam when she remembered something else from Cloud's version of events._ If too much mako can turn humans into monsters... and ShinRa's been doing horrible things like this for decades... does that mean we've sometimes fought and killed mutant __humans__?_ Shuddering violently, her stomach churning, Tifa stumbled again and had to prop herself against a tree trunk. _The monster that came out of the reactor when that trooper and I were waiting outside... there's no other logical explanation, because Cloud mentioned Sephiroth freeing one of the creatures, er, humans._

Sliding down the tree trunk into a crouch, she put down the flashlight and rubbed her temples. _Did they volunteer for the experiments? From what I've seen of Hojo and ShinRa's ethics - then they probably didn't._ _This... is going to make things complicated. We have to defend ourselves, but..._ Looking up at the stars, she searched for answers. _If they're so far gone that their humanity is destroyed, maybe we're doing them a favour by putting them out of their misery? _Shaking her head, she felt tears threatening._ I'm only trying to justify my actions, like the casualties from Reactor One. Am I any better than ShinRa?_

Shortly afterwards, upon her return to the group, she managed to hide her distress from Barret as she handed over the PHS and the flashlight. "Anything to report?" he rumbled, pocketing the one and testing the brightness of the other.

"There's a huge bank of prickle bushes over that way; I don't recommend falling into them," she replied, trying to keep her voice light.

"Get some sleep," Barret advised. "We're heading to North Corel for supplies."

"C-Corel...?" His grim expression discouraged her from asking anything more, but her stomach twisted again as she watched him stomp away. Turning her attention to sleeping arrangements, she huffed enviously when she saw how Yuffie and Aerith had cleverly sandwiched Red between them. _Between his fur and their bedrolls, they'll be toasty!_ Collecting her sleeping bag, Tifa admitted that with the direction of her thoughts, plus her brief exchange with Barret, she really didn't want to sleep alone. Even as she chided herself for being weak, she couldn't help glancing across the fire to where Cloud was seated on his bedroll, reclining against a rock.

As soon as she made eye contact, his fingers crooked in invitation; she was mildly annoyed with herself by not thinking twice about taking him up on it. He silently watched her shake out her bedroll and unzip it all the way around, so that she could leave her booted feet out in case of attack during the night. She was shifting around, trying to find a comfortable position that let in as little cold air as possible when Cloud scooped her into his lap.

_I - I really shouldn't... but I want to._ His arms around her were strong and comforting, his heartbeat beneath her ear steady and reassuring. _I... need him._ Admitting as much caused her to blush heatedly, but instead of pulling away, she snuggled closer, wrapping her bedding around both of them. One of his arms slid beneath the thick material, his hand curling around her waist, while the other pulled the cowl down and began sifting through her hair. Tifa sighed contentedly; just before she drifted off, she pressed a kiss to his chest and earned an answering one to the crown of her head. Nothing was said; nothing needed to be.

When Barret returned three hours later, his eyes narrowed at the sight of Tifa peacefully asleep in Cloud's embrace, her long hair loosely wound around his fist. However, he realized that Tifa couldn't have ended up in that position without her cooperation, so he grumpily held his tongue and instead shook Yuffie awake to stand watch.

The teenager grouched and muttered, but finally shambled off, stretching and yawning; Barret noticed that Cloud was watching her with a doubtful expression identical to his own. The swordsman let go of Tifa's hair long enough to reassure himself that his weapon was handy before again tangling his fingers in her dark locks.

Barret settled into his bedroll and distracted himself from his concerns of the next day by covertly watching the couple, and had to grudgingly admit that despite the younger man's often flippant behaviour, Cloud cared deeply about at least one thing - the young woman in his arms. The way he sometimes saw Tifa looking at Cloud, her smile soft and her eyes bright, reminded him of another woman who had once warmed his life with her laughter and love. "Myrna..."

"Who?"

He blinked and turned his head away. "Nothin'."

"The only time I ever heard someone say a name like that – all sad and low – was when my mom was missin' my dad." Cloud gave Barret a steady look over the top of Tifa's head.

"My wife," he reluctantly disclosed.

"Great big guy like you... bet she was a dainty little thing."

"'Bout the missy's size," Barret sheepishly admitted, jerking his thumb in Aerith's direction.

Cloud grinned. "I _also_ bet that she didn't have any trouble keepin' you in line."

"Nope." Barret's expression softened. "She had a smile that lit up an entire room, a figure to make a man go weak in the knees and a heart of purest gold."

After a respectful silence, Cloud quietly asked, "What happened?"

"She died when ShinRa destroyed Corel." As the swordsman's mouth thinned, Barret poked the embers, sending up a shower of sparks. "Marlene lost her parents - my best friend Dyne and his wife, Eleanor – at the same time, so I took her on. If I didn't have Marlene to keep me goin'... I prob'ly would be dead by now."

"What was ShinRa's excuse for the attack?"

"The reactor exploded, and they blamed it on us. Said we were supportin' a rebel group."

"_Bastards_."

Barret stared into the fire. "That's why I targeted the Midgar reactors – revenge for Corel." When Cloud remained silent, he added, "I saw what ShinRa was doin' to the Planet – destroyin' it, jus' like Corel – and knew I had to do somethin' to make sure Marlene had a future."

After several more moments of silence, Cloud spoke. "Hey, Barret."

"Yeah?"

"Forget about my fees. Put the gil towards Marlene's schooling." Barret peered at Cloud to find him blushing as he steadfastly stared off into the shadows while quickly asking, "How long will it take us to reach North Corel?"

"If we hoof it, about three hours," Barret replied.

"Any weapons or materia shops?"

"Dunno. Ain't never been back."

"You gonna be okay?"

"Prob'ly not." He shrugged. "But there's no gettin' off this train we're on until we reach the end o' the line."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Excuse me, sir, is this the way to North Corel?"

"Yes, miss, but be careful! Needle Kiss are very active in this area!"

"Thank you for the warning."

"No problem; at least you listened to me, unlike that fellow in the black cloak I talked to earlier."

"Did he have long, silver hair?"

"Couldn't tell, on account of the hood."

Aerith glanced at Cloud, who nodded. "We'll assume it was Sephiroth."

"Why would _he_ be heading for North Corel?" Tifa wondered.

"Maybe he wants to try his luck at Battle Square?" the stranger suggested.

"Battle Square?"

"The Gold Saucer's newest attraction! Valuable prizes to be won, they say."

"Materia?" Yuffie perked up.

"I don't know, kid, but I wouldn't be surprised! You'll find all kinds of strange things at the Saucer!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"That guy wasn't joking about finding 'strange things' at the Saucer."

"No kidding." From a safe distance, Tifa and Aerith examined the odd creature that had buttonholed Cloud upon their arrival at the Gold Saucer's Wonder Square; it appeared to be an animatronic cat seated on the head of a squat, stuffed Moogle.

"It also couldn't have been Sephiroth that he tried to warn about the Needle Kiss."

"If it was, we would've found a body," Tifa murmured, trying to overhear the discussion going on between the creature and Cloud, who was becoming more agitated with each passing moment.

"Come to think of it, there was an odd fellow who lived in Sector Five," Aerith mused. "He had a tattoo of the number 'two' on his arm, in the same style of Red's marking."

"Aside from the tattoo, what else was odd about him?"

"He was totally unresponsive, and when he wasn't staring blankly, he was mumbling to himself."

"The 'black-caped' man who asked Dio for the Black Materia was definitely able to speak coherently..."

"But he also had a number 'one' tattooed on his palm."

"It could be a coincidence," Tifa cautioned.

"Are we certain that Cloud is tattoo-free?" Aerith blurted out.

"He asked me to check his butt for one last night."

"So _that's_ what you were doing! Bet his ass is even nicer than when he was a girl."

Tifa blushed. "Er, I guess."

Aerith giggled and changed the subject. "Where do you suppose our ninja princess disappeared to?"

"Red's with her, so she won't be able to get into too much mischief... I hope."

"Optimist. Why was Barret so agitated?"

It appeared that Cloud's patience with the stuffed cat was about to run out; Tifa moved closer to Aerith and whispered, "Wouldn't _you_ be shocked if you found out that not only did ShinRa destroy your community, but then built an amusement park over the graves of your wife and friends?"

Aerith gave her a sharp look. "Taking that into consideration, I don't think it's wise to let Barret roam around the place on his own. If he loses control of his temper, he could bring ShinRa down on us in no time flat."

"When you put it that way... we'd better find him!"

Cloud stomped up to them, his entire frame tight with frustration, followed by the Moogle and its rider. The girls looked questioningly at him; he bared his teeth in a pained grimace and kept going. The Moogle shuffled to a stop and the cat regarded them with shiny button eyes before doffing his crown and bowing. "Cait Sith at yer service, lassies!"

"What, exactly, are you?" Aerith demanded.

"Nothing more than a simple fortune teller, lassie," he said, replacing his crown. Puffing out his chest, Cait continued, "I shall be yer faithful companion on yer journey from now on!"

"I guess every team needs a mascot?" Tifa commented distractedly, concerned about the way Cloud appeared to be on the verge of exploding.

"Or a jester," Aerith said, flicking askew Cait's tin crown. "Hey, wait up!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"You itchin' for a fight, laddie?"

"If I were you, I'd stop calling him 'laddie'... unless you want to find out _exactly_ how fast he can gut a small, noisy toy cat."

"I am _not_ a toy, lassie," Cait said haughtily.

"You're darn noisy, though... and I might be tempted to see how fast _I_ can gut you," Aerith coolly threatened. "Er... why _are_ we going to Battle Square, anyways? What if we get stuck with another gag gift like _him_ by the management?"

"Lookin' for the others so that we can get the hell out of here," Cloud said tightly as they approached the entrance.

Aerith turned on Cait; the Moogle scooted back a few steps. "Hey, fortune teller... can you locate missing people?"

"One of my many specialities, lassie," he said confidently and began shuffling his cards. "Who's missin'?"

"Three other members of our party..." Shouting accompanied by the sound of intense gunfire from up ahead cut her off, and then they were running, leaving the cat in the dust. A moment later they found themselves in Battle Square's garish foyer, their boots skidding on the bloodied tiles as they stared in horror at the slaughtered troopers and amusement park personnel.

"_Shit._" Lowering his sword, Cloud glanced rapidly around – then frowned. "Unless Barret used up a whole case of ammo himself, there was more than one gun involved."

"How do you know?"

He gestured to the shot-up walls and ceiling, perforated by hundreds of rounds just as a voice yelled, "You, there! Stay where you are!"

"_Damn_." Cloud stepped in front of the girls, but Tifa moved up to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, facing down the squad of heavily-armed troopers that arrived on Dio's well-tanned heels. "We're not responsible for this," he said bluntly.

"Don't insult my intelligence, boy," Dio snapped. "Unless your sword is an _extremely_ unusual gunblade, you couldn't have committed this crime." They relaxed their stances, but in the next moment they were staring down the muzzles of at least a dozen rifles. "One of your party, however, _was_ involved. Take them away."

"We're not going _anywhere_ until we know what you're planning for us," Cloud gritted out.

"Until I get to the bottom of this, you and your friends will have a complimentary stay in Corel Prison."

"Like _hell_."

"I don't think we have much choice," Tifa muttered. "We don't know where Barret is, never mind Yuffie or Red, so we can't fight our way out without the risk of leaving someone behind."

"Listen to the lady, boy. I'll even provide you with some entertainment – the cat goes, too."

"Now _that's_ cruel and unusual punishment!" Aerith protested, earning her smirks from some of the troopers. Nobody tried to seize Cloud's sword or their packs, which made Tifa wonder exactly what they were going to be facing as they were hustled down a corridor towards a steel door.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Are you two all right?"

"This place _sucks_," the teenager grumbled, dusting herself off. "The jerks said something about a murder charge; what's going on?"

While Aerith brought Yuffie and Red up to speed, Tifa approached Cloud, who was listening to Cait Sith while assessing their bleak surroundings. When she drew close, he curtly silenced the cat with a gesture, grabbed her hand and towed her around the corner of a dilapidated building. She didn't resist as he backed up against the flaking wooden wall and pulled her into his arms, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. His lips brushed distractingly against her skin as his embrace tightened, but not enough that Tifa failed to notice the way he was trembling. Sliding one hand up around his neck, she gently ruffled the short hairs on his nape and waited.

"Damn cat and his damned fortunes," he finally ground out. Tifa patiently continued petting Cloud's hair until he continued, his tone strained, "He said that what I'm pursuing will be mine."

"That's _good_, isn't it?"

Shaking his head, Cloud squeezed her to the point of discomfort. "He _also_ said that I'll lose something dear in the process."

"Oh. That would be awful if you lost your sword," she commented, then wondered why he snorted.

"It isn't the _sword_ I'm worried about," he replied, straightening up but still holding onto her rather tightly.

"It's just a silly stuffed cat," Tifa said firmly, "brought to life by electronics. You don't _really_ believe what he says, do you?"

"I don't _want_ to."

"Then _don't_. We have enough real issues to worry about... like where Barret's gone, and how to get out of this place."

Cloud let her go, but as Tifa stepped away, he cupped her cheek and moved in for a lingering kiss. "Red can track him," he whispered a long minute later, running his thumb over her lips before ushering her back to the others.

Yuffie and Red had scavenged a large box and taken shelter inside it out of the direct sun, while Aerith fanned herself with a scrap of cardboard; they all ignored Cait Sith. "We found the way out, but there's two catches. One, someone named 'Dyne' has to give permission, and two, we have to win a Chocobo race."

Cloud went very still. "Did you say 'Dyne'?"

"Uh-huh." Using the cardboard to shade her eyes, Aerith peered up at the swordsman. "Do you know him?"

He hesitated before carefully replying, "He was a friend of Barret's back in the day."

Tifa frowned. _How does Cloud know that?_ "Dyne was Marlene's father; I always assumed that he died."

"Apparently not."

Red's muzzle abruptly swung to the right, and he let out a low whine as a familiar figure lumbered into view. He barked sharply and Barret jerked around to face them.

"What the hell are _you_ doin' here?" he demanded. "This ain't yer business."

"Since we're here on account of a friend of ours, it _is_ our business," Cloud replied, moving across the cracked earth towards Barret; he came to an abrupt stop when the big man waved his gun in his direction.

"Leave me alone, Spiky. Gotta deal with this m'self."

"Oh, _please_," Aerith grumbled, flapping her cardboard at Barret. "Spare us the manly 'lone avenger' crap."

"Is 'Dyne' really Marlene's father?" Tifa asked, ignoring his threatening stance to approach; he suddenly looked very weary.

"Yep. We both had our arms shot off – my right, his left – by that bitch Scarlet from ShinRa. He had the same surgery and has a gun-arm, too." Barret rubbed his hand over his eyes. "Dyne's gone as fuckin' crazy as an inbred Chocobo."

"So _he_ was the killer?" Red didn't bother to conceal his relief.

Nodding slowly, Barret said heavily, "But it's my fault that Dyne's the way he is because I'm the one who convinced him that ShinRa was trustworthy – an' everythin' went to hell because o' that."

"You _trusted_ ShinRa?" Yuffie sneered. "How stu..."

"_Yuffie_." Cloud loaded the single word with heavy promise of retribution; she sensibly shut up. Pinning the teen in place with a sharp look for good measure, he continued, "Take care of business; we'll wait here."

The fire returned to Barret's eyes. "I gotta make peace with Dyne afore I can move on – an' I gotta tell him that Marlene's alive."

"Barret..." Tifa squeezed his hand.

"I'm okay," he rumbled as he awkwardly patted her shoulder. "You been the best li'l momma that Marlene coulda hoped for." She blushed, and he grinned crookedly. "I ain't plannin' on dyin' here, so don' worry so much."

They watched Barret stomp away with his peculiar rolling gait. "He's got ten minutes before I go after 'im," Cloud said, drawing his sword with a careless twirl. "Until then, we might as well earn some gil. Anyone up for a little monster extermination?"

Tifa froze, then hurried over to the box where Yuffie pouted and Red panted in the heat. Kneeling in front of her furry teammate, she waited until he acknowledged her. "May I ask you something?"

"Certainly, Tifa-san."

"Have any of the monsters we've fought smelled at all... human?"

He tilted his massive head, closely inspecting her with his good eye. "What an intriguing question, Tifa-san. May I ask what sparked it?"

Worrying the hem of her skirt, she answered, "ShinRa performed experiments where they exposed human subjects to huge doses of mako..."

"SOLDIERs, in other words," Yuffie jeered, glaring at Cloud as he stalked a spiked ball floating between two nearby piles of junk.

"Far more than _that_. Enough to deform their bodies so that they weren't recognizable as humans any more."

"Are you thinking about the monsters in the tanks that Cloud talked about?" Aerith asked over her shoulder; she was following the swordsman's purposeful actions with interest. "Oh, darn - I think we have company."

Yuffie instantly deployed her shuriken, squinting against the sun. "Where?"

"Oh, put that away, ninja-girl," Aerith sighed. "We need our hand-to-hand specialists for these guys."

Red rose to his feet, his nostrils flaring. "We will continue this conversation at a later time, Tifa-san," he said courteously as he slunk towards the nearest masked biped.

Tifa shot to her feet, exclaiming "Prowlers!" but after examining their opponents more closely, she amended, "Not exactly, but something similar. Bandits, maybe?"

"Abilities?"

"Stealing stuff, usually."

"Ah. Relatives of yours, Yuffie?"

The teen stuck out her tongue at Aerith and took up a position in front of their packs. "Since my awesome ninja skills aren't needed, I'll just stay back here guarding our stuff..."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Tally-ho, laddie! This buggy is the cat's pyjamas!"

Cloud rose upright from his inspection of the low-slung vehicle's wheels, his gaze markedly icy, and the Moogle shifted nervously even if Cait Sith's stitched-on eyes didn't waver. After a long stare-down, Cloud declared, "The winged thing stays."

Fabric ears laid back. "I canna leave 'im!"

"Not my problem. You wanna tag along, you lose the excess baggage."

Tifa bit her lip, because the stuffed creature positively drooped. When Cloud moved around the back to check another part of Dio's unexpected 'apology' gift, she followed. "Isn't that a little harsh?"

"You volunteering to ride on the roof?" When she blinked, he continued, "It's gonna be a tight fit as it is... and that thing creeps me out. The cat's bad enough."

"Oh." She couldn't help sounding a little deflated and looked away as she tried to think of another tactic. Barret was fiercely scowling into the middle distance, turning a small, gleaming metal object over and over in his fingers. Aerith was seated close to him, not speaking but offering comfort by simply being there while Red kept Yuffie and Cait at bay; it appeared that the cat was trying to rally support for retaining his bulky steed. When Red curled his lip, revealing an impressive length of fang, she realized that Cait wasn't getting anywhere and felt slightly guilty for not pressing his case. "Can we put some of the luggage on the roof...?"

Cloud rubbed his hand over his face and leaned on the buggy. "Why is this bothering you?" he wearily asked.

She twisted her fingers together. "_I_ wouldn't want to leave a friend behind."

Shaking his head, he patiently pointed out, "Neither of them are technically alive, so I doubt you can claim they're best buddies."

A commotion interrupted; Cait was bouncing up and down in front of Barret, bowing repeatedly until his crown fell off. Retrieving the tin circlet, he declared, "You won' regret this!"

"Better not, or I'll yank out yer wires an' give ya to Marlene," Barret growled, tucking the pendant into his vest pocket and helping Aerith to her feet. Cait exchanged a few words with the Moogle and it shuffled off, its large feet sending up puffs of dust, just before he scrambled onto Barret's hand. Stowing the cat on his shoulder like an exotic bird, the big man rumbled, "Where we off to now, Spiky?"

Pulling Dio's letter out of his pocket, Cloud scanned it one more time before tearing it up into tiny pieces and scattering it on the desert wind. "Sephiroth's apparently heading south to Gongaga, so we'll follow."

"Gongaga...?" Aerith echoed, her hand flying up to touch the pink ribbon holding back her hair; Tifa heard the tremor in the other woman's voice.

"Know anything about it?" Cloud inquired.

"My friend... the one who gave me the Transform materia... was from there." She managed to sound nonchalant.

"Huh. I used to know someone from there, too; I remember this one mission where we joked about how being 'country boys' was an advantage because we were able to keep up when the city boys were all draggin' ass."

"Do you remember his name?" Aerith lightly inquired, her slender hand tightly clenching the front of her jacket.

Cloud scratched his chin, frowning in thought. "Nope. Nice kid, though – real keen. He wanted to get into SOLDIER in the worst way." Turning his attention to Yuffie, he planted his fists on his hips. "Find a barf bucket, brat, or sit by an open window. We're headin' out."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	6. Rude Confessions

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've cleared the air.

**A/N:**Cheerfully corrupting, er, _co-opting_ relevant bits of _Crisis Core's _version of events for this chapter and making up other bits out of whole cloth. The time line of events in _CC_ has been fudged slightly to allow Zack and Aerith more interaction.

**Warnings:** Coarse language and canon-abuse.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13 and Ranuel. You make writing this fic so much more fun!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Six: Rude Confessions**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"If it ain't ShinRa's two 'Most Wanted'," the red-haired Turk drawled, gently bouncing his crackling weapon on his shoulder. "Your luck's run out, Cloud-o. It's payback time for Sector Seven."

"You're joking, right?"

"You punks messed me up… my delicate constitution is _still_ recovering."

"Thousands of people in Sector Seven will never recover – because they're _dead_," Cloud snarled.

Reno smirked. "Just like when the Sector One Reactor blew, yo."

"Fuck off," Barret snapped.

Ignoring the seething man, Reno amiably suggested, "Why don't you give yourselves up, already? Then we can take some time off."

Tifa made sure she kept him in her peripheral vision as she faced off against his silent colleague. Magic prickled her scalp as Aerith powered up her staff, and the barrels of Barret's gun-arm whirled, but their battle preparations couldn't quite distract her from noticing the way Rude kept _smiling_ at her. A shy sorta smile, that made him look something less than intimidating despite his menacing stance, but it was making her _extremely_ uncomfortable.

"You're a _particular_ pain in the ass, Cloud-o," Reno continued in an aggrieved tone. "Chased you and your buddy nearly all the way back to Midgar, playin' mailman for Miz Cetra over there." Behind Tifa, Aerith emitted an anguished little noise and the magic vanished, as if shut off by a switch. Barret muttered encouragement and the mage regained some of her composure, but her shock was palpable.

For her part, Tifa was also taken aback. _Cloud's buddy? Playing mailman for Aerith? __What__?_

Cloud spoke, his voice low and hard. "You're fulla shit, _Turk_. Bunch of low-life kidnappers, murderers an' spies."

"Just followin' orders, yo," Reno laconically replied, twirling his weapon. "Same for Sector Seven - nothin' personal."

There was a sudden crackle, and Reno swore violently as he barely dodged a gout of flame; Red sent another fire-blast at the Turk, then lunged at Rude. The safety clicked off on Barret's gun-arm, and Tifa ducked under the hail of bullets. "Dammit, Spiky! Stay the fuck outta my way!" Barret roared as Cloud went after Reno with murderous intent.

The Turk adroitly parried Cloud's vicious swing as he skipped backwards. "Yo, Rude, no goin' easy on the ladies – 'specially your crush," he directed, daring to wink at Tifa.

His partner grunted in reply, sending Red flying with a hard punch to the ribs – Tifa thought she heard bones crack - that sent the leonine creature staggering back to Aerith. Calmly deflecting Tifa's roundhouse kick a split-second later, he didn't retaliate, merely moved out of range; she chased him for a few more attacks until she realized that Rude was drawing her away from her defensive position and hastily backpedalled.

"Gotcha!" Yuffie yelled gleefully as she hurled her shuriken, but Rude easily sidestepped the spinning weapon. With a well-timed kick, he sent it careening off on a new trajectory and out of play. "You fat-headed jerk!" she shouted, shaking her fist as she sprinted to retrieve it.

Cursing luridly, Barret pushed Tifa behind him while blasting another volley. "Can't get a clear shot at that red-haired fucker without hittin' Spiky," he snarled.

Despite his best efforts, Cloud couldn't quite wipe the arrogant smirk off the Turk's face. "Nice sword, Cloud-o," Reno purred, sparks flying as their weapons connected. "Your buddy woulda been real proud o' you, protectin' his woman an' all."

Cloud faltered and Reno bared his teeth in a feral grin, stabbing under Cloud's guard to deal a withering jolt of electricity to his stomach. Barret yelled and snatched the twitching swordsman out of the way, only to be encased in a glowing pyramid that prevented him from emptying his clip at point-blank range.

"_Damn_. Wasn't aimin' for _him, _but it worked out okay," Reno grumbled, staying out of Cloud's reach just in case. Glancing at his watch, he added, "Wouldja look at that - we're off the clock! C'mon, partner... time for a victorious retreat. It's payday tomorrow, an' I got a hot date with a cold beer." Grinning, he flipped off his stunned opponents and turned his back. Over his shoulder, he taunted, "We'll let ya run around loose a little longer, but remember, boys and girls – the Turks _always_ get the job done." Rude straightened his tie and tipped a polite salute to Tifa as he backed away, signalling that the encounter was over.

Static electricity haloing his body, Cloud launched his own Lightning attack and nailed Reno square between the shoulder blades; Rude grabbed his crumpling partner, threw him over his shoulder and ducked behind a rocky outcropping. "_Bastards_," Cloud growled; it seemed to be taking him longer than usual to shake off the effects of Reno's weapon.

Tifa rushed past him, energy coating her fists. With a powerful blow, she shattered the pyramid; Barret caught her hand before the follow-through hit him. "What the fuck was _that_?" he demanded, visibly shaken. "Couldn't fuckin' move, couldn't hardly breathe. Fuck, my knees are shakin'!"

"Something like Petrify; hopefully he can only use it on one opponent at a time," Cloud grimaced, using his sword to prop himself upright. Waving off Tifa's concern, he wobbled in their wake as she guided Barret back to where Aerith worked on Red's damaged ribs.

"That was quite the brawl, laddie!" Cait cheerfully commented as he popped out of the buggy.

Aerith shot the stuffed cat a cool look. "If I didn't know better, I'd think they _knew_ we were coming," she mused as she stood up.

Red rolled upright onto his feet and cautiously shook himself, then stretched. "Thank you, Aerith-sama." Fixing his one eye on Cait, he blandly observed, "I must agree with you - it does seem rather odd that the Turks chose a remote place like Gongaga for a picnic."

Cloud slapped his sword onto his back. "We were set up by Dio," he growled. "He's a ShinRa employee. Shoulda known better than to take him at his word, but I didn't have much choice."

"Fresh out of hunches?" Aerith lightly asked.

"Right now? Yeah." Cloud gripped his forehead, wincing, as if he was nursing a massive headache. "Might as well check out the place. Maybe we can score some provisions."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"What a _dump_," Yuffie muttered. "I'd feel bad stealing from these people."

"Yet another example of how a mako reactor brings the exact opposite of prosperity," Tifa said, inspecting the tight cluster of shabby huts.

Cloud squinted against the sun. "Let's get the hell outta here."

"Wait, please," Aerith pleaded. "I want to see if my friend's family is still here."

"Whatever. Don't be all damn day."

As Cloud stomped back towards the buggy, parked deep in the shade of several large trees, Yuffie curled her lip. "What's up with _him_?"

"He had another chance at that fuckin' Turk but couldn't kill 'im," Barret replied. "An' got a bellyful of electricity to boot."

"What was all that stuff about 'Sector Seven', anyways?"

"Sit down, kid, an' I'll tell ya the story. Missy... take someone with ya if yer goin' ta knock on doors."

Aerith caught hold of Tifa's hand, but instead of pulling her towards the nearest house, she checked the materia in her array and added one. "Go see if Cure will help Cloud's mood," she directed. "Red? Will you come with me?"

"Of course, Aerith-sama."

Tifa listened to Barret with half an ear as he began telling Yuffie about the failed battle for the Plate while she watched Aerith approach the first house. An elderly man answered the door; he was obviously a little hard of hearing, since Aerith had to repeat her question more than once, but he finally nodded and came out onto the stoop to direct her deeper into the village. When Red's tail-flare disappeared around the side of the hut, Tifa made her way towards the buggy.

Cait Sith hopped down from the fender and scuttled past, heading for Barret and Yuffie. Tifa narrowed her eyes as she watched him go. _I agree with Aerith and Red; seems more than a __little__ coincidental that the Turks 'just happened' to be in this remote location, but Cloud's also right about Dio. _Reaching the buggy, she stooped to peek beneath the half-open door. Cloud's booted feet protruded from the end of the middle row of bench seats; he lay on his back, his eyes closed, his expression pinched. _He looks like he's really hurting... strange, because he shrugs off most injuries._

"What?" he demanded abruptly and she jumped, banging her head on the door. "Is Aerith finished with her trip down memory lane?"

Rubbing the tender spot on her scalp, Tifa answered, "Um, no."

Exhaling harshly, Cloud groused, "Can't a guy get a little peace around here?" Stung by his sharp tone, she beat a hasty retreat, but had only gone a few steps before he quietly called, "Did you want something?"

"Er, a Cure for your headache?"

"You can try." He sat up as she entered the vehicle, but as soon as she saw the pain etched on his face, she made him lie back down. Squeezing into the narrow space between the seats, she equipped the materia and pressed her glowing hand to his forehead; he hissed through his teeth, but slowly relaxed by increments.

Softly, she asked, "Was his attack _that_ powerful?"

"A little," he reluctantly admitted, then peered at her through his lashes. "I know I've been an ass, but could I borrow your lap?" Tifa nodded; as he propped himself up on his elbows, she unfolded her legs and awkwardly slid onto the seat. He settled back, shifting his head against her thighs until he was comfortable, then caught hold of her hand. "Do it again?"

As she activated the materia and watched the tightness around Cloud's eyes ease until he dozed off, Tifa worried her lip. _I have so many questions I want to ask, but I don't know where to start!_ While Cloud snored lightly, she feathered his bangs away from his face and struggled to find the right words. _If he escaped from Hojo's lab, somebody must have helped... maybe this 'buddy' was also being held there and together they fought their way out? That would explain why he's been called both an 'escapee' and a 'deserter' because ShinRa would've been after him on both counts._

Cloud rolled onto his side and nestled closer, his breath tickling her bare stomach. _That Turk didn't seem to be joking about Aerith's letters; they've had her under surveillance for years, so I'm not surprised that they intercepted her mail. But... why would they suddenly decide to deliver it? _Gazing out the window, Tifa pondered Aerith's reaction to Reno's comment. _This 'buddy' of Cloud's... he was important to Aerith, and something happened to him before the Turks found either of them. _Frowning, she cast her mind back to the fateful meeting at the train station. _Cloud was definitely alone; he was filthy dirty, scratched and bruised and...! _Tifa let out a sharp noise. _Jessie commented on it - his trousers were blood-stained from the knees down, but he didn't have any wounds on his legs! Like... he'd knelt in a puddle of blood? _

Biting her lip, she contemplated the possible ways that the man sleeping comfortably on her lap could have ended up with his clothing bloodied while not suffering any injuries... and all the potential circumstances made her feel _extremely_ uncomfortable. _Assuming the Turk was telling the truth about the buddy, then someone died violently and Cloud was involved – but as a bystander, or as the killer?_ Examining his relaxed countenance, her stomach twisting, Tifa couldn't ignore the obvious implications. _He's killed plenty of times to protect us, but I don't __know__ for absolute certain that he wouldn't murder someone in cold blood._ Racking her brain for more memories, she had to force herself past the traumas of Sephiroth's rampage and her mother's death. _When we were kids, he picked plenty of fights – and usually ended up losing, because he was smaller than most of the other boys – but he wasn't a dirty fighter. However, he was in the ShinRa military and then the SOLDIER program, and neither organization is big on 'honour' as it applies to outsiders. It was the military who destroyed Corel, and a member of SOLDIER who burned Nibelheim._

Combing her fingers through Cloud's unruly spikes, Tifa heaved a deep sigh as she made a decision. _I know that he's capable of violence, but I __don't__ believe that he would ever attack someone that he cared about. If his buddy died, it was at someone else's hands._ Realization gave her goose-bumps, and she was suddenly sure. _Cloud's sword once belonged to the other man – and Aerith recognized it._ Cold promptly settled in her guts. _She __also__ probably thinks that Cloud killed him for it_. _All those questions that she asked in Kalm... I have to talk to her, and __soon__!_

"Cloud-san?" She almost gave herself whiplash turning towards the voice; Red gave her a quizzical look as he continued, "Aerith-sama is ready to depart."

"Tell Yuffie to beg, borrow or steal a proper barf bucket. Her aim is _terrible_," Cloud directed without opening his eyes.

"Agreed." Red disappeared again.

Tifa reluctantly left off stroking his hair. "Feeling better?"

He yawned. "Cure helped, but being close to you is what quieted the screaming to a dull roar."

"Screaming?"

"The noise inside my brain," he clarified, sitting up. "Something that asshole Turk said made my head feel like it was gonna explode."

"What did he say?" she asked, holding her breath.

"Can't remember." Sliding along the narrow bench, Cloud scooted up to the front and dropped into the driver's seat. Punching the ignition button, he declared, "We're leavin' in two minutes."

Tifa pushed the door all the way open and beckoned to the others, then immediately noticed Aerith's new accessory. A thin black ribbon was looped twice around the other woman's slender throat and tied into a bow, the dangling ends emphasizing her delicate collarbone. Aerith appeared subdued, her eyes downcast as she twisted the silver bracelets on her wrist. She took a seat behind Tifa and was quickly joined by Red, who took up the rest of the bench with deliberate sprawl.

"Where to next, Spiky?" Barret asked as he climbed into the buggy, along with Cait Sith and Yuffie. The teen was carrying a battered bucket; she took the rear-most seat and opened the windows on both sides.

Cloud started to say something, but the sound of a helicopter interrupted. They all hunkered down despite being inside a brightly-coloured vehicle, listening as the chopper banked overhead. As the wash from the rotors whipped the branches of their fortuitously-chosen parking spot against the buggy's metal body, Barret hoarsely demanded, "Do the fuckers know we're here?"

"They'd be using us for target practice if they did," Cloud tersely answered, killing the engine. The windstorm outside abated as they watched the helicopter, marked with the distinctive ShinRa badge, land in the vicinity of the ruined reactor. "They're not trying to capture us - wonder what they're doing here?"

"Picking up the Turks?" Tifa hazarded.

"_Shit_. An' they're too close for us to sneak past 'em."

"Isn't this buggy supposed to be the off-road model?" Aerith piped up.

"Don't know the terrain well enough to risk it." Cloud continued staring in the direction of the reactor. "Wish we knew what those bastards were up to."

"I'll go!" Yuffie was gone like a shot.

"_Shit_," Cloud muttered again, his hands tightening on the steering wheel while the teenager vanished into the underbrush. "Get your weapons ready."

"Damn kid." Coiling the loaded ammunition belts inside his gun-arm, Barret continued in a disgusted tone, "Nice enough, but subtlety ain't her strong point."

While Tifa marvelled over Barret's choice of words, Red briefly touched his paw to Aerith's hand. "I wish I could be of more assistance, Aerith-sama," he murmured.

Her fingers sought the ribbon at her throat. "I'm glad that you were with me," she quietly replied and he rumbled soothingly. "Won't you consider remaining with us?"

"I will think on it." Slipping off the bench and moving forward to sit behind Cloud and Barret, Red ignored Cait Sith and peered over his head through the side window. "Yuffie-kun returns," he announced, and a moment later, the breathless ninja threw herself into the buggy. The chopper took off and rapidly vanished into the distance, giving no sign that its occupants were aware of their audience.

"Well?" Cloud demanded.

Yuffie milked the suspense for all she was worth before reporting, "They're lookin' for, to quote the blonde bitch, 'big, large, huge materia' so that they can make the 'perfect weapon'."

"Perfect weapon?" Cloud repeated. "Powered by 'huge' materia... huh."

Enjoying her moment in the spotlight, the teen added, "Those two Turks boarded, then all three of 'em went quiet after the woman insulted somebody named Heidegger."

"Three?"

"Red and Baldy called him 'Director'. He was tall, skinny and dark-haired – real serious." Yuffie imitated an upright posture and stern expression.

"Definitely Tseng. The woman was blonde?"

"Trampy red dress as loud as her voice."

"Scarlet. What the hell is ShinRa up to?"

"They got a Huge Materia in Junon, powerin' the Sister Ray," Barret pointed out.

"Scarlet must have a new project in the works." Cloud scratched his chin. "Can't do anything about it, so let's move on." Turning, he threw his arm around the back of his seat to grin disarmingly at the group. "Any suggestions? My Sephi-radar is offline."

Red cleared his throat. "My home is not far from here."

"Cosmo Canyon, right?"

"_Woohoo!_" Barret _almost_ let off a few rounds inside the cab out of sheer excitement, but restrained himself at the last second. Vacating the co-pilot's seat to make way for Red, his craggy face lit up with a huge smile, he squashed in beside Tifa. "Back before you joined us, I promised the rest o' them – Jessie, Biggs, Wedge – that we'd celebrate with a drink at the Shildra Inn in Cosmo Canyon once we defeated ShinRa." His expression fell, and he abruptly lapsed into silence; Tifa wrapped her hands around his fist and squeezed, offering wordless comfort.

Pressing the ignition button and throwing the buggy into gear, Cloud eased it out from under the concealing branches... and Yuffie promptly and loudly made use of her new bucket. "Shiva's icicles, brat!" he exploded. "Glad I don't have motion sickness!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_This bonfire is making me remember things I shouldn't._ The crackling firelight of the Cosmo Candle only increased the cold feeling in the pit of Tifa's stomach that had set in after Bugenhagen's lecture. Zipping up her sweater and wrapping her arms more tightly around herself, she examined the ground between her boots and tried again to arrange her thoughts into some semblance of order.

The collar of her coat pulled up around her ears, Aerith sat next to Tifa and about a million miles away. _I imagine that she's as deeply affected as I am by what we learned about the Lifestream. _Tifa shuddered anew._ The idea that mako reactors are literally burning up people's souls is __horrid_ – _another reason why ShinRa has to be stopped! _A related idea made her sit up straight. _Materia is highly compressed spirit energy – therefore, also made up of people's lives!_ Biting her lip, she inspected the glowing orbs that made up her array, seeing them in a whole new light. _If using mako energy is wrong, shouldn't using these also be wrong? I guess it's a necessary evil, if we're to defeat Sephiroth and stop ShinRa – but I'll be more careful about how I choose to deploy it. _

Beside her, Aerith sighed heavily and looked up at the stars; Tifa noted unshed tears glimmering in her vivid green eyes. _That scream of the Planet just about made my hair stand on end! It must be __so__ hard for her, being able to hear terrifying sounds like that and to know when someone dies, not to mention being the last of her kind_. _Maybe I should wait until a better time to talk to her about Cloud?_ Glancing around the circle, though, and realizing that a 'better time' might not present itself, Tifa made the impulsive decision to broach the subject now. _There's no privacy in the buggy, and Cloud's gone with Red – er, I mean, Nanaki – with Bugenhagen for who knows how long. Barret's talking to Cait Sith and Yuffie's taken off, so this is probably my best chance... at least until we have to go rescue the ninja from whatever mess she's gotten herself into._

Sucking up her courage, she lightly touched the mage's arm. "Um, Aerith?"

The other woman blinked, and slowly turned to look at Tifa, as if she'd been pulled back from a place very, very far away. Her gaze was soft and dark, and the deep sadness in it tugged at Tifa's heart. "Yes?"

Tifa kept her voice low, both to avoid drawing attention and because she couldn't keep it from shaking. "We need to talk."

Aerith tilted her head, and Tifa saw the exact instant that the defensive walls went back up. "What about?"

"Cloud... and the man who once carried his sword."

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but Aerith quickly recovered. Nodding briskly, she stood up; in answer to Barret and Cait's questioning looks, she said, "We'll be back in a bit."

"Need an escort, lassies?"

"What would you do if someone bothered us? Annoy them to death?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Er, are you _sure_ you're comfortable here?"

Aerith glanced up at the glowing model of the solar system moving silently overhead. "Yes. This is where I finally realized what it means to be a Cetra."

Tifa shifted on the narrow step. _I never thought she'd suggest the Observatory!_

"You don't care for this place."

"N-no. Now that I know what the sounds mean..." She trailed off. "I can't imagine what it must be like, to be able to hear this sort of thing all the time."

"It's in the background - most of the time," Aerith said, toying with the ends of the black ribbon tied around her neck.

Following the motions of the other woman's fingers, Tifa blurted out, "Did you hear something when the other man died?"

"Who?"

"The man who owned Cloud's sword."

"_How do you know he's dead?_" Aerith's voice and eyes were as hard as Mythril.

"I d-don't... n-not really... b-but all those questions you asked about it – in Kalm – a-and then you said something about 'it _was_ him'... the b-buddy and letters those Turks mentioned..." Tifa stuttered to a stop, quelled by the other woman's dangerous expression.

After a long, tense moment, Aerith exhaled and again looked up at the fake stars. Then she began to softly speak, with anger, sorrow and affection infusing every word. "Seven years ago, a young SOLDIER fell through the roof of the ruined church in Sector Five and landed on the bed of flowers that I tended. He was funny, handsome, extremely charming and had the cutest dimple when he smiled, so when he suggested that we go on a date to thank me for 'saving' his life, I accepted."

"On our first date, he bought me this ribbon." Slender fingers stroked the knotted silk holding back her hair. "One date led to another, and I began to trust him despite his duty to ShinRa, to look forward to his company. I started wearing pink dresses so he could pick me out of the crowd at the train station when he returned from a mission." Smoothing her skirt, Aerith continued, "He gave me the Transform and Heal materia and showed me how to use them, and he also built flower carts so that I could sell the blooms from the church to earn gil." A quiet, wry chuckle. "SOLDIERs were trained to destroy things, not create them. The first cart was quite frankly a disaster, the second was a huge improvement and the third – oh, my, we had so much trouble over it! We were always being stopped by patrols on the Plate because it looked like a weapon of some kind. I wasn't sorry to see it go."

Aerith smiled tenderly, her gaze focussed inwards. "He once tried to help me sell flowers; he was _very_ enthusiastic, but I think people bought them because he scared them into it!" She finally met Tifa's eyes, and some of the hardness was back. "He had a mentor, a top-ranking SOLDIER named Angeal Hewley, who he absolutely idolized; he even grew out his hair to look more like him." Leaning forward, never taking her eyes from Tifa's face, she continued, "General Hewley bequeathed his heirloom weapon to him, called the Buster Sword. He carried it everywhere, including a mission five years ago with General Sephiroth to repair a reactor in a mountain town on the Western Continent; I think you know the place quite well."

Tifa could only stare in horror as images of a teasing, blue-eyed SOLDIER spun through her mind and stalled on the final one. _I told him I hated him..._

Aerith watched the emotions playing across Tifa's face. "I didn't recall the name right away when you said that Nibelheim was your hometown. You must have met him?"

Her throat dry and her eyes wet, Tifa managed to rasp, "I guided him and General Sephiroth to the Mount Nibel reactor."

"When he didn't return, I started writing letters; I figured he might have been wounded in the battle, if even the great General Sephiroth had ended up being given a state funeral." After a short, reflective pause, Aerith murmured, "I never realized how much he meant to me until he was gone." Giving herself a little shake, she continued, "Five silent years later, I gave up and wrote my last letter to him and not long afterwards the Planet told me he was dead. Three months later, Cloud fell through the roof of the church, carrying the Buster Sword."

Overwhelmed, Tifa burst out, "You think he killed him, don't you? That Cloud's a murderer!"

"I believe that _you_ once admitted that you don't know him very well, even though you grew up together," Aerith murmured silkily. "After knowing him only a few weeks, how can you expect _me_ to believe that he isn't a monster?"

Tifa hunched miserably. "My gut feeling still says he _wouldn't_." Desperately grasping after straws, she insisted, "It _couldn't_ be Cloud, because there were only two SOLDIERs in Nibelheim and he wasn't one of them!"

"He claims he was there," Aerith pointed out. "In fact, he's quite sure of it."

"I _know_, but...!" Tifa scrubbed her face with her hands. "I suffered a head injury, which might have scrambled some of my memories, but I have absolutely _none_ of Cloud during the entire ten days that the ShinRa team was in Nibelheim."

"Hmmm." Aerith chewed her lip, then suddenly held up a finger. "Cloud mentioned some ShinRa infantrymen in his version."

"Yes... there were two, like he said."

Aerith drummed her fingertips on her knee, her brow furrowed in thought. "Did you see either of them without their helmets?"

"No... oh, _no_." Tifa's world tilted sideways.

"They would have witnessed the same incidents that you did, right?"

"Yes... but Cloud was wearing a SOLDIER uniform when I found him at the train station!" she protested weakly, feeling very ill.

"Give me five minutes and a ShinRa supply depot, and I can make _anybody_ look like a SOLDIER." Yuffie balanced on the observation deck railing above their heads before dropping onto a lower step.

"How long have you been up there?" Aerith demanded, while Tifa groped after her composure.

The teen shrugged diffidently. "The whole time." Yuffie plopped onto the stair and propped her chin on her hands. "You gonna continue with the story? This SOLDIER boy of yours sounds kinda familiar."

"I doubt it," Aerith snapped.

"Did he serve in the Wutai War?" Aerith blinked, and cautiously nodded; Yuffie pursed her lips. "Tall, dark, handsome... a dimple when he smiled?"

"Zack Fair," Tifa whispered, tears burning downing her cheeks. _Aerith lost the man she loved; I can't __imagine__ how she felt when she saw Cloud with the Buster Sword!_

"He gets around," Yuffie pouted, shooting Tifa a dirty look for stealing her thunder.

Aerith pinned the teen with a glare. "Explain."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Don't get your panties in a twist. After Fort Tamblin fell, Zack seemed the least scary of the SOLDIERs who occupied Wutai – I mean, in comparison to someone like Sephiroth, he was a big puppy dog." She smirked. "He wasn't too bright, though; I used to steal stuff from him all the time."

"Sounds like you were a total _brat_," Aerith commented acidly.

"Feh. I was just a little kid; if he wanted to, he coulda squished me easily – but he never did."

"Too bad he showed restraint."

"Oi!"

"If Cloud was actually the surviving ShinRa trooper, that would explain how he knows so much about what happened in Nibelheim," Tifa said, very quietly. Bravely meeting Aerith's stony gaze, she bit her trembling lip and went on, "He _did_ fight Sephiroth at some point, because he was stabbed through the body with a narrow blade. You must have seen the scar that time in the bathroom at 7th Heaven?"

Aerith looked vague. "It'll be easy enough to verify your claim. Go on."

Shaking off an image of Aerith wheedling Cloud into undressing for her, Tifa continued, "After he reacted so badly to Hojo at the Costa del Sol, Cloud told me that he had fuzzy memories of what he assumed was a hospital, but might actually have been a laboratory."

"You mean... he might have been experimented on, too? Like Nanaki?" Aerith exclaimed.

"That would explain Cloud's 'mako eyes'," Yuffie mused. "ShinRa could've pumped him full of all kinds of crap - which might be why his memory is screwy."

"ShinRa only announced Sephiroth's death - the rest of the squad that went to Nibelheim weren't even listed as 'missing in action'. I suppose both Zack and Cloud _could_ have been held in a lab somewhere," Aerith slowly said.

"If they were here in Midgar, Zack would've looked for you first, to take you with him. They _must_ have been somewhere else."

"How about another continent?" Yuffie suggested. "ShinRa has facilities all over the Planet."

Tifa sat bolt upright. "The ShinRa Mansion! Officially, it was a research centre connected to the reactor. They could've been held there, because it was close and had the right equipment!" Smacking herself in the forehead as another thought occurred, she continued, "I'll bet _that's_ also where they prepared their victims before sealing them into the mako-filled pods inside the reactor."

"_Eeyew!_ Lucky they didn't do that to Cloud!" Yuffie gasped.

"They wouldn't do human experiments like that in Midgar; too hard to hide if one of the subjects escaped. A remote location like your hometown fits the bill." Aerith rubbed her chin, thinking hard. "Maybe... they were locked up in the Mansion and somehow managed to escape? And were on their way to Midgar when..."

"ShinRa caught up with them." Even though Aerith's train of thought neatly dovetailed with her own, Tifa was startled by the sudden strength of her conviction that they'd guessed the truth. "Cloud got away – because Zack protected him."

"This is _only_ speculation." Some of the sharpness was back.

"From what I remember of Zack, he would've sacrificed himself to save a friend because it was the honourable thing to do."

"Yes… yes, he would've," Aerith murmured, touching the dangling ends of her choker.

They sat in silence for a moment. "Cloud said that he felt like his brain was going to explode during that battle with the Turks," Tifa confided. "And then he couldn't remember what Reno said to him."

"Trauma may cause repression of memories," said a new voice, and Tifa shut up. Nanaki padded out of the shadows and ascended the staircase. Seating himself on the step below Aerith with his tail-flare curling overhead and casting flickering light onto their faces, he addressed Tifa. "I have experienced this myself, from my time as Hojo's test subject."

"Like Aerith said, it's all just speculation at this point," she mumbled, feeling like she'd somehow betrayed Cloud, but also glad that _almost_ everything was out in the open_. I didn't tell them that he hears voices, or that he 'goes green'._ Her relief only lasted a second or two.

"I must pass on something of importance regarding Cloud-san," Nanaki said. "My honoured grandfather has detected great turmoil inside him, which is blocking the full unleashing of his potential."

_So much for keeping __that__ entirely a secret! I wonder – if we could solve this 'turmoil', maybe his memories would fully return?_ "Does Bugenhagen know of a way to unblock it?" Tifa asked hopefully.

"That is uncertain. Grandfather says that Cloud-san must defeat the darkness, or be swallowed by it." Nanaki nodded gravely. "However, I believe that with our help, Cloud-san will be victorious."

"You seem different, somehow," Yuffie commented, looking Nanaki up and down. "Less gloomy."

He arched a furry brow, but there was no denying the contented aura he exuded. "I have had a misunderstanding regarding my father cleared up, and I am prepared to continue with you on your quest."

"_Wonderful!_" Aerith threw her arms around his neck and hugged fiercely; Tifa swore that Nanaki blushed.

When the young woman released him, he shook out his mane and addressed Tifa. "I wish to answer your earlier question – when you asked if any of the monsters we have fought smelled human?" Half-afraid of the answer, Tifa nodded. "I have yet to scent human, but I will let you know if any reek of mako energy, as that may indicate one of Hojo's unfortunate victims."

"Thank you _very_ much."

"This conversation is over – for now," Aerith declared. "I still have some reservations, but I'm willing to consider your point of view, Tifa. Stick close to Cloud and let us know if his memory improves."

"_Nobody_ mentions this discussion to him... right?" Tifa stared directly at Yuffie.

"No _duh_," the teen snorted. "Why would I give Captain Cranky-Pants another reason to be a pain in the ass?"

"Accommodations have been prepared; shall we?" Nanaki invited.

As they all stood up, Tifa gathered her courage again. "Um, Aerith? May I ask about that ribbon?"

"Zack's parents didn't even know that he'd become a SOLDIER, never mind that he was... deceased." Aerith reverently touched the black silk. "They were crushed by the news, but his mother gave me this as a symbol of both remembrance and mourning." Her eyes suspiciously bright, she added, "She said she was glad that Zack had met someone like me." Tifa would have hugged her, but she didn't think that Aerith was in the mood for comfort, at least from her. Nanaki briefly nuzzled Aerith's hand; that seemed to be enough for the mage.

"I wonder where Cloud'll drag us off to next?" Yuffie speculated, linking her hands behind her head as she bounced down the stairs. "Someplace less boring than this one, I hope!"

"'Less boring' often equates to 'more dangerous'," Nanaki dryly observed.

Tifa cleared her throat. "How about Nibelheim?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	7. Homeless

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly traumatized.

**A/N:**Fiddling slightly with the sequencing of the scene where Vincent decides to join the group, and assuming that Aerith and Tifa find the same notes on the experiments performed on the boys also read by Zack in _Crisis Core_. The location of the Library was also moved from the basement of the ShinRa mansion to an upper floor for Sephiroth's grand exit.

**Warnings:** Partial nudity, sexual situations, coarse language.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13 and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Seven: Homeless**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I shall take this street, Cloud-san."

"Meet ya in the square."

Nanaki woofed and disappeared into the dusk. I deliberately walked taller down the rapidly-darkening street, my footsteps loud on the pavement. Lights were coming on all over Nibelheim, the yellow glow warming the cobblestones, but they didn't do a damn thing to make the place seem less ominous. My senses were prickling and the thunder inside my brain made me restless and impatient; I hadn't encountered any more of those weirdos in black cloaks since we left 'Tifa's house', but that report I found on the table in 'her' bedroom a few minutes ago was making me plenty uncomfortable.

_Clones, Sephiroth, Reunion._

Why did those three words make me want to either crawl right out of my skin or puke - or both?

In the square, Nanaki's tail-flare was easy to spot. "All quiet," he reported.

"Head back to the inn and see about moving all of us into a single room. I'll be there shortly."

"Excellent idea. This place makes me very uneasy – especially since the gates are locked at night."

As he padded away, I circled the rebuilt water tower. Its paint was fresh, its bolts shiny; a perfect prop. Jumping easily up to the platform, suspicion made me snoop in the reservoir; it was full of fresh water, so maybe this fake actually functioned? I used my vantage point to scan the village; in the clear mountain air, thin curls of smoke hung suspended over the chimneys. In the distance, I could just make out the dark bulk of the ShinRa Mansion, and above, the spiky outline of Mount Nibel bristling menacingly against the stars.

A shiver went down my spine.

In an instant I was again fourteen years old, shredding strips of wood off the weathered planks of the platform, sweating bullets that someone would see me sitting alone and assume I'd been stood up. For a while there, _I_ thought I'd been stood up, but Tifa finally showed. She was pretty in a pale blue dress and a shy smile, and when she held out her hand for me to help her up, my tongue knotted as badly as my guts. Ducking her head, she murmured that she'd had to sneak out, so could we sit on the side opposite to her house so that her dad wouldn't accidentally see us?

Shiva, I was _hopeless_. The speech I'd carefully rehearsed for days flew right out of my head and instead I started babbling. Tifa listened politely, swinging those slim legs, but I could tell that she was trying to figure out why I'd called her out; I lost my nerve, but when she asked if I'd be her 'knight in shining armour' when I became a famous SOLDIER, I felt a whole lot braver. Brave enough to make the promise, but not to seal it with a kiss.

Come to think of it, I haven't kissed her in the last few days; better do something about that, pronto.

I told Tifa that I joined SOLDIER in order to impress her, but that was only partially true - it was her old man that I _really_ wanted to impress. Who's gonna tell a war hero to stay away from his daughter? My mom thought that Mr. Lockhart took out his grief over losing his wife on me, because his reaction to Tifa's accident was _way_ out of proportion. I couldn't stop the rotted bridge from giving way, no more than I could help not being as badly injured as Tifa. If I could've switched places with her and taken on her pain, I would've done it in a heartbeat.

It was the longest week of my life, waiting for her to wake up.

An' the five years after that, when I wasn't supposed to even _talk_ to her, would've felt twice as long if Mom hadn't figured out a way around the old grouch.

Tifa looked about as lost as I felt when she finally came back to school. Her smile didn't reach her eyes any more, and wouldn't for a really long time. I wasn't allowed to walk her home, even though we lived next door to each other, but I made sure that I wasn't far behind... even if I had to punch somebody out first. I admit it; I picked fights with other boys just to keep them away from her. Tifa was – _is_ – mine to protect. Dunno why; I just know I've felt that way ever since I first laid eyes on her, when we were both still little squirts.

I gotta hand it to my mom; if not for her, I think I mighta gone crazy after Tifa got hurt and I was banned from her presence. Well, crazier than I already _was_. Once she realized that Tifa was doing all the domestic stuff in the Lockhart house while still grieving for her mother _and_ recovering from her injuries, she took action. When Mom got a bee in her bonnet, it was better to simply get out of her way; Mr. Lockhart didn't stand a chance. She organized the other moms, and pretty soon, food and help with the house or yard work started arriving at regular intervals. However, the first time she sent me over with a casserole full of meat-stuffed noodles, Mr. Lockhart shut the door in my face.

Mom _really_ didn't take kindly to that. She was a classy lady, but _whoo_, boy – when she got pissed, _look out_.

She put on her good coat, took the casserole and marched out the door. I followed her progress around the inside of our house, pressing my ear against the window closest to the Lockhart's front door. There was an 'exchange of words' as they say, and then he let her into the house. She was gone _forever_, but when she finally came back empty-handed, she was both pleased with herself and plenty riled up.

"That poor girl is a _shadow_ of herself," she growled. I'll never forget Mom's steely gaze, or the way she gripped my shoulder hard enough to hurt and declared, "_We _have to look after Tifa, because _he's_ too broken to notice that she's working herself half to death."

After that, Mom always packed extra food in my lunch; it was my job to get it to Tifa as unobtrusively as possible. This was tricky, since the principal an' most of the teachers considered me a pain in the ass. I successfully snuck the parcels into Tifa's desk or locker until one recess I was busted by her teacher. Turned out she was worried about Tifa too, so after that she quietly delivered Mom's care packages.

I always looked forward to the days when Mom made double batches of food and called Tifa to pick up before her father arrived home from work. She always invited her in for something to drink, a cookie or two and 'girl talk', and Tifa always accepted. I hung around, listening to them chat, but didn't say much. Sometimes, Tifa ended up crying on Mom's shoulder; Mom would hold her, petting her hair until she wiped her eyes and put her 'brave' face back on. I made myself scarce when that happened, because I felt so damn helpless, an' then _that_ always made me angry. Punching holes in the walls only put me on Mom's shit list, so instead I'd go out back and chop wood.

I chopped a _lot_ of wood during those years. A couple of effin' forest's worth.

Tifa appreciated what we did for them, and thanked us every time, but her old man never _once_ acknowledged what was going on. Mom doubted that he noticed, because he was so sunk in his own misery. That was okay, though, because if he figured it out, he probably would've tried to put a stop to it because _I_ was involved.

A few days before the anniversary of Mrs. Lockhart's death I was in the foyer of my house with Tifa, holding a steaming container of stew while she put on her coat, when she turned to me and _smiled_. A _real_ smile, not a faked one – the first I'd seen since her mother's death – and it was for _me_. "Thank you, Cloud," she whispered, taking the dish from my suddenly-shaking hands.

"No problem," I mumbled, blushing like an idiot. I held the door for her, then looked around to make sure the coast was clear before running ahead and opening her front door so she didn't have to fumble with the knob.

"Thanks," she said again, carefully setting down the stew on a bench in the entranceway. "Um, Cloud?"

"Yes?"

"Would you... oh, never mind."

"If there's anything you need, just ask." My heart was beating so loudly, I could barely hear her soft voice.

"I will - but later," she said hurriedly. "I don't want Daddy to catch you here and make a scene."

"Okay. Don't forget!" I urged. Tifa smiled again and nodded, and I almost skipped the short distance home. _Two_ smiles in less than five minutes? _Awesome_.

A couple of days later, she returned the container; while Mom put on the kettle, Tifa started twisting the hem of her sweater, looking close to tears. Mom beat me to the question. "What's the matter, sweetie?" she gently asked.

Tifa ducked her head. "I w-want to go up to the cemetery, to clean up M-Mom's g-grave, but Daddy says I can't! H-He won't go with me, either!"

Mom made soothing sounds and hugged Tifa close; I could almost see the gears turning in her head. "I'll tell your father that I'm going to teach you how to make spicy dumpling soup tomorrow. While the stock is simmering, we'll go shopping for the dumpling ingredients – and come back by way of the cemetery. Cloud can go up ahead of time with the cleaning supplies. How does that sound?"

In reply, Tifa wiped her eyes on her sleeve and left Mom breathless with a rib-cracking squeeze before launching herself across the kitchen at me. I had a moment to brace myself before she was hugging me for all she was worth, her warm cheek briefly against mine – and then she danced back across the kitchen. "Thank you so much! I hope he says 'yes'!"

"Oh, he will," Mom said confidently, and _I_ knew she wouldn't be taking a 'no' from Mr. Lockhart for an answer. He might have been a cranky old ass, but he wasn't stupid enough to turn down a bowl of that soup, because my mom's version was the _best_.

A chill breeze nipped at my ears; adjusting my cowl, I turned in the direction of the cemetery, remembering Tifa's happiness that day over a bucket of water and a scrub brush. We helped her wash down the stone marker and cut back the weeds, tidying up the neglected plot. Mom placed a small package of honey twists and a bouquet of flowers they'd bought at the market on the gleaming slab and stood with her arm around Tifa's shoulders while she talked to her mom, telling her about all the things that had happened in the past year. Tifa was in tears by the end, and Mom's eyes were damp, too; I was too busy blushing over the nice things she said about us to cry.

After that day, Mom set up cooking lessons for Tifa with the other ladies; that's why Tifa is such an awesome cook. Unfortunately, that meant she spent less time at my house and I spent more time in detention for fighting. It wasn't a rational response, since they were only helping her out like we were, but my hackles went up every time one of the other boys walked her home from a session. Mom finally came down like a ton of bricks and threatened to ship me to her sister's place down on Mideel if I didn't smarten up, because she didn't want Tifa being ostracized. It wasn't easy, but I controlled myself.

As Tifa healed emotionally, she took up with her silly friends again. They made her laugh, and some of her sparkle came back, so I tolerated them... but it was _hard_ when her smiles were directed at someone else. We lost whatever closeness that had developed, until weeks and then months went by between visits... and finally, she just stopped coming by our house at all. Mom said that this was normal, and it was good that Tifa was out and about in the community, but it pissed me off. After all, I was the only one who knew that she still cried almost every night, because our bedroom windows were directly opposite to each other. The distance between us grew until it was like I didn't exist; that's probably why she was surprised when I called her out to the water tower years later.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Thinking about Tifa helped dull the thundering in my head; my headache's courtesy of Aerith and I'm not exactly sure why. When she commented that the other SOLDIER she knew had owned a sword exactly like mine an' it was called the 'Buster', the splitting headache that immediately erupted stopped me from asking any questions. I let Barret take over the buggy's wheel while I tried not to let on that I was _this _close to borrowing Yuffie's bucket, but apparently I'm a lousy actor. Nanaki insisted that I go sit back with Tifa, and the pressure finally eased... only to start up again as soon as we reached Nibelheim and discovered that not only had the town been rebuilt, but it was an _exact copy_ and filled with people who'd never heard of us. Not to mention the half-dead types in black; I have no idea why they kept giving us items like Luck Sources, because they looked like they could use them more than we could. I hope the host got rid of the one at the inn - talk about discouraging business.

I thought Tifa was gonna be sick, too, when we found those two kids living in that attic and discovered they had number tattoos. They were 'VII' and 'VIII', and now Nanaki's worried that he's part of the same series in some bizarre ShinRa experiment, but Barret figures he's fine until he gets the urge to dress in black and sing Sephiroth's praises. I had to practically force Tifa to leave those kids behind; she was all set to bring them with us, at least until they started chanting 'reunion' and 'Sephiroth' over and over again. She mentioned the kids to the innkeeper, but he acted like he hadn't heard her; Aerith had noticed right away that the 'normal' residents totally ignore the black-cloak brigade.

Tifa's on my mind for other reasons, too. We briefly split up into two groups while we explored the town, and Tifa came back looking like she'd been hit by a truck. Aerith was literally holding her up while Yuffie kept us at a distance; even Nanaki was rebuffed. More shit happened right afterwards, when we found those kids, so I didn't get a chance to find out what was going on before dinner. Then, at the table tonight, Tifa burst into tears over a bowl of spicy dumpling soup. As soon as I tasted it, I knew why. Whoever made it _definitely_ wasn't from Nibelheim and had _never_ eaten the real thing. The soup was the last straw; Aerith and Yuffie took her in search of a hot bath while I went out on patrol with Nanaki, leaving Barret and the cat to protect the girls. Dropping from the top of the structure, I enjoyed the sensation of free-falling for a split-second. Flexing my knees, I glanced at the replicas of our houses before heading towards the inn.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Smoky, stale air, and the smell of hard-working bodies crammed into a small space assaulted my nose the minute I walked through the inn's iron-bound door. The pub room was full; I vaguely remembered the host saying he had a fresh shipment of Banoran apple cider on tap. Mom had been partial to it; said it tasted like home.

"There ye are, laddie! We were beginning to wonder if the Nibel Wolves had made a snack outta ya!"

Mentally rolling my eyes, I said flatly, "Tough for them to pick the locks on the gates."

Unperturbed, Cait turned and scrambled up the stairs ahead of me; he stumbled a few times because his legs were too short and the risers too high. Rather than step on him, I snagged the collar of his cloak and tossed him up onto the landing. He straightened his crown and trotted down the hall to a different room than the one I'd paid for. Knocking briskly, he waited a moment before struggling with the door; Nanaki's claws curled around the frame and slid it open. "He's back!" Caith blithely announced, regally inclining his head to left and right.

As soon as I stepped over the threshold, Nanaki closed the door and tipped the bar into the track, then promptly lay down in front of it. Several flickering oil lamps banished the darkness, and I noted that the window shutters had been securely locked. A couple of screens blocked my view of the other beds, but behind one, a lamp clearly silhouetted a feminine shape - Aerith, judging by the curves – as one of the girls undressed.

I pulled my attention back to casing the rest of the room. The doors and windows were the only weak points, the door especially. Checking out the furniture for barricade potential, I selected a sturdy-looking bureau. "Give me a hand, Barret." Instead, Nanaki was on his feet in an instant and helping push; the wood floor groaned and the heavy bureau creaked as we shoved it across the room and into place. "That'll hold long enough for us to mount a counter-attack... or escape out the window."

"Do you _expect_ trouble, Cloud-san?"

"Not really; we haven't been directly threatened, but the hair on the back of my neck won't stop prickling."

"I agree. I, too, am restless."

"Two hour rotating shifts; we need some sleep before we tackle the ShinRa Mansion tomorrow."

"C'mere, Spiky." Barret beckoned from a bed next to one of the windows; Cait had clambered up to loll on the pillow beside him.

"What?"

He impatiently gestured again, and this time I obeyed. When I stooped, he grabbed a handful of cowl and yanked. "Tifa needs ya," he rumbled in my ear. Jerking his head in the direction of the second screened bed, he lowered his voice even more. "She's havin' a real bad time of it, so the rest of us'll cover yer shifts." He gave me a little shake. "An' remember ya got an audience."

"We'll keep it down," I cheeked, just to provoke him; Barret released me, looking like he'd rather strangle me instead. In case he decided to act on his impulse, I headed directly for the corner bed enclosed on two sides for maximum privacy. I raised my hand to acknowledge Aerith and Yuffie's murmured greetings as I passed their mattress, but my attention was elsewhere. Slipping through the gap between the screen and the wall, I saw how Tifa was rolled up into a tight little ball under her quilt, illuminated by the pale light of a single oil lamp – which had been neatly positioned so as to throw tell-tale shadows on the screens for the benefit of snooping, over-protective teammates. Nice try, guys.

While moving the lamp to a less-incriminating spot, I realized that Tifa was shaking so hard I could hear her teeth chattering. I hadn't intended on disarming in case of trouble, but one small whimper from her had me rapidly shucking everything but my sweater and trousers before sliding under the covers.

Screw the 'separate blankets' shit.

Dragging my quilt over both of us for extra warmth, even if it was more psychological than anything, I wrapped my arms around her. "I'm here. It's all right," I whispered, nuzzling her forehead. She gave a little shudder and uncurled her body, desperately burrowing into my embrace and fisting handfuls of my sweater as if anchoring herself. I held her tightly, trying to stop her shivering with a combination of body heat and restraint, but it took a long time for her to be able to coherently answer when I urged, "Tell me."

Her hands tightened and her body tensed. "It's _g-gone_," she rasped. "M-Mom's g-grave... it's _gone_."

So they _had_ ventured up to the cemetery. I remembered the cryptic report I'd found in Tifa's reconstructed house and aimed a mental Blade Beam in ShinRa's direction. "The bastards erased every trace of Nibelheim's previous existence to cover up Sephiroth's crime." Tifa let out a strangled sob; I couldn't do anything more than hold on and make soothing noises while she cried.

My sweater was dampened within minutes, but I waited until she'd regained control before I let her go long enough to strip it off and pull her back against my chest. She seemed momentarily flustered by bare skin, but quickly got over it. "Th-those kids... in the attic..."

"Yeah?"

"You probably don't remember them... they were only three or four years old when you left..." Her fingertips trembled against a couple of the deeper scars below my collarbone as she burst out, "How can ShinRa _do_ such horrible things!"

"Because they think they'll get away with them."

"Wh-what do you think would happen to someone who came to visit their relatives…? Would they _kill_ them to keep the secret?"

_That_ gave me pause. "ShinRa makes people disappear all the time; wouldn't be tough for them to pick off a few stray travellers, then claim they were killed by dragons or Nibel Wolves or something."

Tifa was silent for a moment. "Y-Your mom... she was _so_ kind to me after... a-after..." Fresh tears dampening her cheeks, she choked out, "Her cookies were the _best_ – especially her honey twists."

"Uh-huh." Wiping away the wet, I whispered, "Did you ever get the recipe?"

Worrying her lip, Tifa finally murmured, "Yes, but I haven't made anything like that in years."

"Something to look forward to, then, once all this crap is over."

"Like our trip to Costa del Sol?" Her smile was watery, but it was a smile.

"You bet." I aimed for a kiss, but Tifa dodged it by tucking her head under my chin.

She sighed, "I missed you after you left Nibelheim; I started looking for your name in the newspaper," while rubbing her cheek against my chest.

Foiled in my intent, but enjoying the cuddling, I grumbled, "I didn't do anything newsworthy."

She hesitated and tensed. "Cloud... can you tell me about your time in SOLDIER?"

"Don't want to talk about it right now," I muttered, sneaking my hand under the hem of her pyjama top to tickle the warm skin of her back. The distraction worked; Tifa 'eeped' and went very still, but didn't pull away. Instead, she lifted her chin to inspect my face, finally giving me an opening to land that kiss. She was a little stiff at first, but I eventually managed to coax her into participating. I seriously doubt there's anything better than kissing Tifa, especially when you're tucked up all cozy in a bed with her at the same time. Well, less clothing would be nice, but I'll take what I can get.

She gradually relaxed, even tilting her head a little to make full contact easier. I had to force myself to go slow – this 'trust' thing is _killing_ me – but the reward came when Tifa's lips parted against mine. I wasn't sure if it was an invitation or she was just catching her breath, but when she did it again, I took careful advantage of the opening.

Sweet Shiva.

The heat and wet of Tifa's mouth sent all the blood in my body racing south; I actually felt a little dizzy, and it got worse when I couldn't help imagining what another hot, wet place might taste like. It was almost painful, but I wanted her to have better memories of _this _intimatekiss, since the first one on the cargo ship was kinda unpleasant for her – and I couldn't remember it - so I reigned in my libido. Until she exhaled a breathy little moan, that is.

Before I realized I was moving, I was half-off, half-on top of her, cupping her face in my hands while exploring her mouth. I stopped myself from completely covering her, so she could escape if she felt uncomfortable, but after a short moment of tension, Tifa's body went pliant and welcoming. Her arms hesitantly crept around me, her trembling hands pressing lightly against my back.

Hell, I was shaking, too; dunno why. Then a random thought made my blood boil, and before I thought better of it, I pulled back and demanded, "How many boys have you kissed?"

Tifa blinked in confusion, while a distant part of me proudly admired her flushed cheeks and tousled hair. Then her gaze sharpened. "Why do you want to know?"

_Shit._ Pressing my face into the pillow next to her ear, I mumbled, "It's just... I feel like I've waited _so long_ for you to notice me… that it makes me crazy thinking some other guy mighta..."

Her hand came up to cup the back of my head. "No one's ever kissed me like this," she whispered.

I felt impossibly smug – and even more possessive, if that's possible. "Really?"

"All the decent boys had left Nibelheim by the time I might have been interested in them, and after that... well, raising Marlene while running the bar and working with AVALANCHE didn't leave any time for romance." She squirmed a little, as if I was squishing her or she was embarrassed, and my eyes nearly crossed from the friction's effect on my erection. Then her fingers curled into my hair. "Um... what about you? There are always girls who can't resist a man in uniform."

Shiva, I was _really_ tempted to see just how jealous Tifa might be, but since she was letting me invade her personal space _and_ could leave me with a bald spot if I gave the wrong answer, I stifled the impulse. Peeking at her from the corner of my eye, I admitted, "Too afraid to ask anyone other than you. One of my buddies had a steady girl and he talked about her all the time; that was as close as I got to a first-hand experience."

She started to smile, and then it faded, her expression shifting, but I still had no warning when she asked, "Was it the same buddy who lost his life a few months ago?"

White light blazed as someone shouted for me to _run_, and then a crackling green surge swallowed _everything_.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

An entire division was practicing quick-march drills in steel-soled combat boots on my skull.

Grimacing, I nosed into the yielding surface my face was pressed against, and soothing energy immediately washed over my poor, aching brain, reducing the pounding to a platoon's worth. I _might_ have whimpered, and that earned me another dose of Cure. Sagging in relief, I just laid there, enjoying the relatively pain-free moment. Cure crackled over my senses for a third time, and then a gentle hand stroked through my hair. "Cloud?"

Waking up cradled against Tifa's chest _almost_ made up for being knocked sideways.

Not that I'm complaining, but how the hell did I get here? Pain lanced through my eyeballs, and I gave up trying to remember. Cautiously cracking my lids, the first thing I saw was a close-up of the print decorating Tifa's pyjama top, and then admired the way that the soft fabric clung to her breasts. The view was awesome, but I figured I shouldn't push my luck any further, so lifted my head to look up at the woman who was simultaneously comforting and arousing me.

The dimmed light couldn't hide her concerned look. "How's your head?"

"Which one?"

"Eh?"

Pulling away from those delectable curves, I shifted upward until I could tuck the other pillow under my head. Grinning at Tifa, who looked torn between sympathy and irritation, I said, "Thanks for the Cure." She was plainly confused by my abrupt withdrawal, and appeared the tiniest bit lost, too, so I relented. "C'mere. Sleep time."

Without hesitation, she willingly cuddled closer, her head nestling on my shoulder in what I was starting to think of as 'her' spot. I reached to snuff the lamp, figuring that the others would keep an eye on things. It was _really_ dark in our little corner, but it also made it seem more private, too. Tifa's fingers flexed on my chest; I caught her hand and kissed her knuckles. She hummed, her bare toes slowly rubbing against my sock-clad ankle while I toyed with her hair... until, out of the blue, she murmured, "I always liked your ponytail. When did you cut it off?"

"Buzzed off on the first day of boot camp."

"Ah." After a small pause, Tifa drowsily confessed, "It was _so_ tempting to give it a tug."

"You can pull my tail any time."

I thought she'd drifted off in the following silence, but then she mumbled, "May I kiss you good-night?" Darkness apparently increases Tifa's bravery where I'm concerned, because the lingering contact that followed was definitely unlike the shy little pecks she'd previously bestowed. When her tongue delicately touched my lips, I let her explore while I found ways of pressing her amazing body even closer to mine. We were both breathing hard when we finally came up for air; her fingertips traced my mouth and I playfully nipped at them.

_Dammit_, we were wearing too many clothes... and had too many people within hearing range.

She pulled away and I let her go, wondering if it was possible to suffer permanent damage due to chronic blue balls while she fiddled with her pyjamas. Then she snuggled close, and there was suddenly a whole lot of warm, bare skin pressed up against mine. "_T-Tifa_...?" I squeaked. She hunched slightly, probably at my startled tone, but I quickly wrapped my arms around her in case she changed her mind; that's when I figured out she'd unbuttoned her top. We both went really still; my brain was still gleefully cheering 'hell, _yes_' when I had a sobering realization.

Whether conscious of what she was doing or not, Tifa was testing just how far she could trust me. _That_ took the steam out of my kettle, and allowed me to notice how she was trembling again. I slid my hands under her pyjama top and began caressing her back, trying to reassure her, and was captured by how she _felt_ - silk over steel. Her skin is _so_ soft, but the powerful muscles beneath were a reminder that she could _totally_ kick my ass if I went too far. Uh, never mind the fact that she already has, when I was under the 'green' influence.

Avoiding temptation is hard enough at the best of times, never mind when it's literally in the palms of your hands, but I gritted my teeth and stayed in neutral areas. Tifa sighed softly, her frame relaxing completely, and within a few moments, her breathing deepened and evened out. If she's comfortable enough to fall asleep half-naked in my arms, then I must've passed her test; either that, or she was exhausted by the events of the day. Tucking the blankets more snugly around both of us, I kissed her temple, then settled down to a watchful doze. Her warm scent, trapped and concentrated by the quilts, was incredibly calming and I didn't notice when I fell asleep.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Find anything interesting?"

Aerith's forced smile was almost _painful_ – totally unlike her usual sparkle. "A few things," she answered vaguely, her gaze focussed on the tall, saturnine man standing silently beside me. "Looks like you did, too."

"This is Vincent Valentine, a former Turk who'd also like to have a chat with Professor Hojo."

Tifa managed to inject some warmth into her smile as she stepped forward, offering her hand to the newcomer. Instead, Vincent pressed his hand to his heart and bowed in a quaintly old-fashioned gesture before he and Nanaki sized each other up. Nanaki's nostrils flared several times as he inhaled deeply; tilting his head, he appeared to puzzle over something, but then tipped me a nod.

Upstairs Yuffie, Barret and the cat were hootin' and hollerin', punctuated by wild bursts of gunfire as they smashed or shot out whatever windows remained intact in the ShinRa Mansion. When I yelled, they popped out onto the landing, looking kinda sheepish but highly pleased with themselves. They were somewhat taken aback by Vincent, but Barret declared another gunman was welcome, even if he was a 'spooky-looking fella'. Yuffie sidled closer, probably with larcenous intentions, but one look from him sent her scurrying; wish I had the same knack. Cait's reaction was interesting, once he found out that Vincent had been a Turk. I wouldn't say that he slunk off, exactly, but he abandoned his perch on Barret's shoulder to take refuge with Yuffie. I immediately decided that Vincent was my new best friend, because if hanging with him meant the two noisiest members of the team kept their distance, then that was worth the dark vibes he gave off.

Okay, not my _best_ friend. _That'd_ be the vivid-eyed girl with the sweet mouth and pensive expression currently holding hands with Aerith instead of me.

"It's _cold_ in here," Yuffie whined, and the rest of the group trooped off outside, taking Vincent with them, but I decided to check the rest of the Mansion just to make sure we didn't miss anything useful. Scoring a few more items in the vandalized rooms – Barret must have emptied every clip in his magazine - I stuck my nose into the ruined library. Part of the roof was missing and the room was full of collapsed bookcases and rotting volumes. Loose pages were everywhere, spattered with the leavings of mice and birds; it stank of decay and despair.

Sephiroth literally appeared out of nowhere, stepping out of the shadows into a clear space between two crazily-tilting shelving units... and smiled in a way that sent unpleasant sensations slithering up my spine. "This place brings back so many memories, eh, Cloud?" he murmured, gesturing elegantly. "Fitting that the Mansion is the starting point for the Reunion."

"Nightmares, you mean." I drew my sword, dropping into a defensive crouch. "What the hell is the Reunion, and what does it have to do with me?"

He arched his eyebrows, smirking faintly. "Go north, if you wish to find out." His hand snapped and a projectile smashed into my forehead... and that's all I remembered until Tifa Cured me out of a concussion. As soon as I opened my eyes, she proceeded to thoroughly kiss me.

This morning, she'd been all awkward and shy, hastily buttoning her pyjama top before quickly pecking my cheek; I proceeded to remind her that we'd moved beyond that level the previous night and _I _wasn't going back. She was breathless and pink-cheeked when I let her go, but then kissed me again with a fair amount of enthusiasm. It had been a great start to the day, and I admit that I swaggered for Barret's benefit when we finally emerged from behind the privacy screens. The scowl he wore for the next couple of hours had been highly gratifying.

Once Tifa pulled back, obviously checking my eyes before relaxing, I clued in and smiled crookedly. "Another 'green' moment, huh?"

Nodding, she gently touched the spot on my forehead that still hurt like hell. "What did Sephiroth do to you?"

Sitting up, I urgently demanded, "Did he attack you? Wait... did _I_ attack you?"

"No, and no. We saw him fly out of the Mansion's roof and head north over Mount Nibel."

Wincing, I probed the tender area. "He nailed me with something... a rock, maybe?"

"I thought I saw something..." Tifa twisted onto hand and knees, crawled over to a bookcase and ferreted underneath it. "How about a materia?"

I enjoyed the way her snug trousers moulded to her ass before she tossed me Sephiroth's second gift. "Destruct, huh? Interesting choice."

Tifa scooted back across the filthy floor and hesitantly reached for my hand. "Based on what happened on the cargo ship, I would've expected your eyes to be fully green after an encounter with Sephiroth – but instead, they only had a rim."

"So I should let Sephiroth knock me out?" I grinned at her appalled expression and squeezed her fingers. "If it keeps me from being an ass to you, I can live with that."

At that moment, we heard Barret bellowing from the foyer. "Yer ten minutes are up, Tifa!"

"We're coming!" she called back.

"Not often enough," I muttered and was swatted in the gut by my blushing brawler; I was still slightly winded when we rejoined the others.

Yuffie pushed off from the side of the buggy, Cait squeezed into the narrow space on her shoulder between her head and her arm guard. "Not that I'm in a hurry to get back in this thing, but are we going soon?"

"In a minute," I replied, rummaging through my pack.

"You don't seem like the type to be packin' heat," she commented, snooping over my shoulder as I extracted the handgun I'd acquired in Kalm.

Making sure the Destruct materia was hidden deep in my spare socks, I replied, "I used rifles when I was an infantryman; thought it might come in handy." Hefting the handgun, I walked over and offered it to Vincent as he stood silent and wary on the edge of our group. "It's called the 'Peacemaker'."

Vincent smiled wryly; at least, I _think_ he cracked a grin. Hard to tell with that high collar hiding most of his face. "The 'peace of death', I assume." The golden claws on his gauntlet clicked softly on the metal as he sighted down the barrel. "Your generosity is appreciated."

"I still can't get over Sephiroth having a mother... or Hojo a wife," I commented.

Crimson eyes slanted my way. "Not just _any_ mother - the loveliest woman on the Planet."

"Did Hojo force her into letting him experiment on her baby?"

"Lucrecia was also a scientist," Vincent responded cryptically, sliding the gun into the holster strapped to his thigh.

Glancing over at the girls, I was struck again by how they were clinging to each other's hands so tightly their knuckles were white. Nanaki was leaning against Aerith's legs, offering tangible support in his own way, and her free hand was buried in his mane. The three of them had poked around in other parts of the Mansion's basement while I was charming Vincent out of his coffin, and something had _really_ upset them; I made a mental note to corner Tifa later.

"We gonna hunt some Mount Nibel dragons, Spiky?" Barret asked, reloading his weapon.

"They're _very_ hard to kill and extremely poisonous. You sure?"

"Fuck, _yeah_! Nothing a Phoenix Down can't fix, right?"

I considered his enthusiasm and the advantages of adding Gold Armlets to our arsenal. "Sure, why not? We're headed north anyways, and I could use a workout." Glancing up at Mount Nibel, I shook off the residual chill of our visit 'home'. "Let's mosey."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	8. Shooting Star

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly wound up.

**A/N:**Playing hob with bits of _Crisis Core_ and _Dirge of Cerberus_. I figured that while Vincent knew about Jenova cells being used on Sephiroth due to his involvement with Lucrecia, he wouldn't know if SOLDIER candidates were also being treated since he was already tucked up in his coffin by the time Hojo expanded the scope of his research.

I simply can't believe that OG!Aerith ever _really_ confused short, blond Cloud with tall, dark Zack, despite her assertion that they looked 'exactly the same'. Cloud at only 5' 7" was barely four inches taller than she was, as opposed to the full _foot_ enjoyed by 6' 3" Zack. Japanese ghosts traditionally lack feet, so that possibly knocked a few inches off Zack's height in the scene near the end of _ACC_ where he and Cloud are shown standing back-to-back.

The number 'four' is considered bad luck in Japan, because it is pronounced the same as the word for 'death'(_shi_). Tifa and Cloud have therefore been assigned what amounts to the 'Mortally Deadly' Room at a 'haunted inn'. In practical terms, this means that you will rarely (if ever) find four items in one package in a Japanese market.

_Shogi_ is Japanese chess.

**Warnings:** Excessive amounts of f-bombs, since Cid has joined our happy band, and large dollops of fluff.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13 and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Eight: Shooting Star**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Who the fucking hell made this goddamn fucking piss-water?"

"_I_ did, ya fuckin' asshole."

"Dammit, Barret – ya gotta let the fucking tea leaves _steep_, man – don't just _wave_ 'em over the fucking pot!"

"Not everyone likes to fuckin' _chew_ their tea, Cid."

"Some people have _no_ fucking appreciation for the finer things in life." Mightily affronted, the pilot took a drag on his cigarette. Curling his lip, Cid inspected the sepia-toned contents of his mug, considered dumping it and then drank it anyways. Shuddering, he lit a new cigarette off the old one before stubbing it out next to his boot, then inhaled deeply. "At least _something_ tastes right." Casting a glance in Tifa's direction, he amended, "Yer stew was mighty fine, Miz Tifa. Shera could learn a thing'r two from ya."

"Um, thanks," Tifa answered, flashing him a quick smile before turning back to her conversation with Aerith. The two women were sorting through a pile of materia, adjusting their arrays for maximum effectiveness after the last skirmish, while an abashed Yuffie polished her shuriken. Ever since the debacle on Wutai, the teen had been positively subdued. She was definitely trying to make amends for her brash thievery which had caused so much trouble – but the longing looks she cast towards the glowing orbs made it clear she wasn't entirely reformed.

As Barret and Cid continued profanely bickering, Cloud poked the fire, sending sparks twinkling up into the night air. "They sound like an old married couple," he muttered. Beside him, Vincent and Nanaki made amused noises.

"So, we goin' back to the Gold Saucer?" Yuffie abruptly asked.

"Reckon so, since Dio has the Keystone," Cloud answered.

"It is more than likely a trap," Nanaki growled, with a sideways glare at Cait, who was sensibly staying out of Barret and Cid's discussion.

Cloud shrugged. "We'll assume so, since ShinRa's still after us. We'll just have to watch ourselves."

"That weapon seller seemed t' be in control of hisself," Barret pointed out, breaking off his wrangle with Cid. "Unlike those poor bastards we found in Nibelheim."

"Yeah, but his 'sudden urge' to dress in black seems a little too coincidental to dismiss."

"He didn't talk 'bout no Reunion, though."

"What _is_ the Reunion, and how is Sephiroth connected to it?" Cid asked.

"That's what we're trying to find out."

"Sephiroth was the ultimate SOLDIER; I wouldn't be surprised if ShinRa tried to make more of them using his cells," Aerith mused.

Heads swivelled. "Y'mean... SOLDIERs might have a little bit o' Sephiroth inside 'em?" Barret demanded, shooting an appalled glance at Cloud.

Nanaki recoiled. "_I_ appear to be at greater risk of that than Cloud-san."

She held up her hands. "It's only an idea! But... those people in Nibelheim had been treated with _something_..."

"Jenova cells." Everyone stared at Vincent, who blandly continued, "Sephiroth was created by having Jenova cells injected into his body when he was still inside his mother's womb. If he was considered a success, Hojo would definitely suggest expanding the use of the treatment."

"So I might have more than just mako inside me?" Cloud stared into the embers.

Tifa twitched; Aerith gripped her hand. _The research notes we found said that he'd been injected with Jenova cells… that's probably why his eyes turn green when he gets too close to Sephiroth._

Cloud was silent for several moments before setting his jaw. "After I fought Sephiroth in the reactor and was wounded, I thought I was taken to a hospital - but after we ran into Hojo in Costa del Sol, now I think I might have been held in a laboratory."

While Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie and Nanaki attempted to register the appropriate levels of surprise at this revelation, Barret asked, "Ya got any tattoos, Spiky?"

"No, but that might be because I'm from a different experiment."

"Cloud could be correct," Vincent said. All eyes swung back his way. "I also was a subject of Hojo's experiments, and I do not bear any markings."

Yuffie tilted her head, her polishing forgotten. "What did he do to you?"

"I'm no longer fully human." If Vincent expected rejection, he was surprised at the singular lack of concern demonstrated by his audience – not that he showed it.

"Hell, Spiky definitely ain't, an' neither am I." Barret waved his gun-arm for emphasis. "Welcome to the club."

"More like a band of mutant brothers," Vincent observed.

In the following lull, Nanaki ventured, "Your scent is an interesting mix, Vincent-san. I have detected four exceptionally powerful entities inside your body. What keeps them in check?"

Vincent bowed his head. "The ProtoMateria, implanted by Lucrecia as I lay dying. Hojo took over and put monsters inside me, thereby turning _me_ into a monster as well."

"No." Aerith's voice rang out. "I knew of another man who felt he was a monster because of ShinRa experiments... but he used the powers inside him to _protect_ people. That made him a _hero,_ not a monster."

Vincent examined Aerith with interest. "Who was this man?"

"General Hewley of SOLDIER." Her eyes strayed to the sword casually jammed into the ground next to Cloud.

He sat up straight. "Hewley?"

When Aerith nodded, Tifa stepped in. "Do you recognize that name?" she asked.

"One of my aunts down on Mideel married a Hewley," Cloud said dismissively before turning to Vincent. "These entities inside you... do they ever talk to you?"

While Tifa held her breath, Vincent examined his gauntlet, the firelight reflecting off the curved surfaces. "Sometimes," he allowed. "Throughout my long sleep, they kept me company." He glanced up. "I must warn you that if they are ever loosed in battle, I may not be able to control them."

Barret's eyebrow arched. "Anythin' we can do to help ya?"

"No. Stay out of my way until I exhaust myself and return to normal."

"Thanks for the warnin'."

Cid broke off mid-snore to let out a hearty chuckle. "Whatta buncha numbskulls!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Now, don't give me that look, boy. I'm being entirely reasonable," Dio said blandly, twirling his moustache.

Cloud continued glaring. "If you're stalling just so ShinRa can get their hands on us..."

"No, no, no, my boy. I have a full house right now, and a series of challenge matches in Battle Arena will be good for business."

"You better not be lying." The flat tone was loaded with threats of painful reprisal.

"You have my word." Dio rubbed his hands. "Be at Battle Square in an hour – don't be late!"

Cid curled his lip as the overly-tanned proprietor of the Gold Saucer strode away, his red bikini-clad bottom jiggling with every step. "You'd think ShinRa would fucking pay him enough to afford proper fucking clothes."

"_Shit_. Looks like we have to play this his way," Cloud groused, scrubbing his face.

Aerith rolled her eyes. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"Huh?"

She beckoned to Yuffie. "Perfect opportunity for you to demonstrate your skills, ninja-girl. Steal the Keystone and we're on our way."

The teen practically bounced. "You got it!"

"Wait a minute, lassie! I have a grand idea!" Cait quailed a little under the combined weight of scepticism, but forged ahead. "Cloud has the chance to win not only the Keystone but other valuable prizes, which can be sold for gil. It'd be like ShinRa payin' for their own defeat!"

"Could we cash _you _in?" Aerith asked, her voice syrupy-sweet.

Cait didn't miss a beat. "Ye'd miss me charmin' personality!"

"Fuzzbutt has a point," Barret rumbled, a gleam in his eye. "If'n we have to work for the Keystone, might as well get as much as we can for the effort."

"What's this 'we' crap?" Cloud demanded petulantly. "I'm the one doin' all of the work here!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"That was some fine sword-swingin', kid!" Cid crowed, clapping Cloud on the shoulder. "Never seen nothin' like it!"

"Whatever. Barret? Can you carry this thing?"

"Sure, Spiky." The big man easily fielded the awkwardly-shaped chunk of stone while Cloud divided the prizes between his and Tifa's knapsacks.

"Just in case Dio has something up his sleeve, let's get outta here," he ordered, shouldering his bag and helping Tifa with hers.

"Don't you mean 'down his shorts'?" Yuffie smirked.

"_Really_ don't wanna think about what Dio might or might not have in his shorts," Cloud growled, leading the way to the tram, where they discovered a harried attendant trying to calm a crowd. Pushing his way through the grumbling patrons, he confronted the young staff member. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm terribly sorry, sir," he nervously replied. "The Tram has broken down." The swordsman's expression remained stony, but a fair eyebrow slowly quirked upwards and the youth broke out in a cold sweat. "A crew is replacing the rope, but the Tram won't be back in service until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

The crowd behind Cloud became restless, and the attendant gulped. Just then, the phone in his booth rang and he practically dove for the receiver. A brief conversation ensued, and he emerged all smiles. "Ladies and gentlemen, the management of the Gold Saucer has generously offered their valued customers free overnight accommodations at the Ghost Inn." The threatening tone of the crowd instantly shifted and they began excitedly discussing the unexpected bonus.

Cloud turned back to his group with a sardonic expression. "Looks like we're stuck."

Aerith suddenly looked rather sly. "Might as well make the best of it!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I appreciate your understanding, Tifa."

Yuffie frowned as she looked back and forth between the two women. "I don't get it. Why're _you_ taking Cloud on a date, and why is Tifa okay with it?"

Aerith patted Tifa's shoulder as she turned to face the teen. "When I first met Cloud, I hired him as my bodyguard for the price of one date. This is the first time I've been able to make good on that agreement."

"Oh, _really_?"

"I also have to make my mind up about a few things, and spending some time alone with him will help."

Yuffie's eyebrow twitched. "You _sure_ you're all right with this, Tifa?"

The other woman managed a strained smile. "It's fine. Remember what we talked about at Cosmo Canyon? This relates to Aerith's concerns."

"You said that you found proof that he and Zack were experimented on when we were in Nibelheim, right? What else do you need to know?"

"I'll tell you once I'm back." Aerith touched the black ribbon tied around her throat and squeezed Tifa's shoulder again. "I won't be long."

Once the door closed behind the mage, Yuffie gave Tifa a searching look; the other woman avoided it by beginning to remove her armour. "What if she hurts him?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Flopping down on one of the beds, the teen said, "She still thinks Cloud might have killed Zack, and she – _we _- know stuff about Cloud that he doesn't. What if she cracks open his memories and he breaks?"

"She might... but I doubt she will," Tifa murmured. "She doesn't want ShinRa or Sephiroth to harm the Planet, and Cloud is still the best chance to defeat both of them."

"Point. What do you think of Vincent?"

"Noble and very tragic at the same time. _I _think he's too hard on himself."

"He's too quiet."

"Cid makes up for him."

Yuffie rolled over, cackling delightedly, and watched the fake rain trickling down the windows. 'Thunder' shook the room, quickly followed by a 'lightning flash', and then a quavering moan drifted through the air. She sat up just as the candles guttered in a chilling draft, like the touch of a ghostly hand. "_That's_ gonna get old real quick," she muttered, and started the hunt for wiring.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Ooh, nice job! How'd you manage to convince Tifa to let you do that?"

"Easy. We were both bored – but not enough to go hang out with the boys," Yuffie replied, tying off the elaborate braid with a length of fraying blue ribbon. "Besides, Cid's cigarettes make my eyes water. How was your date?"

"We already know Cloud's a good actor, but he's also quite the dancer – he can pirouette with the best of them!" When Tifa and Yuffie stared at her, Aerith giggled merrily as she sat down on the other side of the bed.

"Did you get Cloud _drunk_?" the teen demanded.

"No, not at all! He willingly agreed to take part – it was quite the show!"

Yuffie and Tifa exchanged looks; the teen grinned toothily. "This, we gotta hear."

After the Event Square shenanigans had been described and the laughter subsided, Aerith folded her hands in her lap; alerted by the change in her demeanour, Tifa and Yuffie gave her their full attention. "It's almost eerie how much Cloud reminds me of Zack," she began. "That little swagger in his step, the way he phrases things – even some of his gestures are exactly the same. Cloud must have imprinted on him like a Chocobo chick."

"He has the hair for it," Yuffie snickered.

Even Tifa tittered, but quickly sobered when Aerith said, "It's _also_ obvious that Cloud worshipped Zack, if he took on his mannerisms so thoroughly." Smoothing her skirt over her knees, she held the other woman's anxious gaze. "I don't believe Cloud killed him... but he saw Zack die."

"Did you ask him about it?" Tifa hesitantly queried.

"No, but I've noticed that he has some trigger words."

"Such as...?"

"When I mentioned the Buster Sword before we visited Nibelheim – Cloud did a lousy job of pretending he wasn't going to be violently ill."

Tifa nodded slowly. "In Nibelheim, he brought up a friend who had a 'steady girl'; when I asked him if it was the same one who had died a few months ago, he blacked out."

"He musta been _completely_ freaked by Zack's death," Yuffie commented.

Aerith pursed her lips. "Cloud's been traumatized so many times, it's no wonder his brain is scrambled. I wonder how long it will take him to make a full recovery?" Straightening, she briskly clapped her hands. "Right. Out of those pyjamas, Tifa."

"For what?"

"Your hot date with Cloud."

"Wh-_what_?"

Green eyes sparkling with mischief, Aerith swooped on her knapsack and began rummaging through it. "I've been saving something for an opportunity like this… where did I put that... ah-_ha_!" She triumphantly displayed a crumpled pale skirt and a dark top.

"They're, er, really pretty, Aerith," Tifa said honestly, noting the way the skirt's fabric shimmered in the candlelight. "But I, um, don't think they're going to fit me."

"Silly - I bought them _because_ they're your size."

"_What_?"

Aerith gave the startled woman a very direct look. "Honestly, Tifa – it doesn't hurt to dress up once in awhile and remind the boys that you're more than just a great fighter."

"But… but… Cloud just _went_ on a date – with you! He's hardly going to want to go back out again with me!" she protested.

"I suspect he'd be up for it. Besides, he may want to talk about some of the things I said to him – and you're the only one he trusts." Aerith shook out the long skirt, critically eyeing the wrinkles. "Yuffie, see if the front desk has an iron."

"But… _wait_… I haven't agreed to go!"

"Why are you kicking up a fuss about going out with Cloud?" Yuffie asked, deeply puzzled. "You sleep with him every chance you get."

"We _don't_… I mean, we _do_… but we aren't _doing_ anything!"

"We _know_," Aerith said, sighing theatrically. After the laughing teen bounded out the door in search of the requested iron, Aerith waited patiently for Tifa to turn a less-fiery shade of red before saying, "You deserve a little fun – why not enjoy yourself tonight? All the attractions are free, probably because the Tram broke down... although they're calling it 'Enchantment Night'."

"I, er..."

"Oh, come on. Here... these might pinch a little, but you can't wear those boots."

Tifa looked askance at the satin-trimmed flats; Aerith took advantage of her distraction to snag the scruffy ribbon out of her coiffure and replace it with a new one out of her knapsack. Dropping the narrow strip of blue silk into one of the maligned boots, she held out the dark top with an encouraging smile. "I just _know_ that you're going to leave Cloud speechless!"

"_I _can't believe that you've been lugging clothing for someone else around the Planet 'just in case'!" Tifa muttered.

Aerith's expression became serious. "Never turn down a chance to spend time with someone you care about, Tifa, because we don't know what tomorrow may bring."

Tifa stilled as the words sank in, then reached for the top. "Good advice. Thank you – for everything."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Back off, Barret. I didn't do _anything_ with Aerith - except humiliate myself in public," Cloud growled, throwing his gloves and armour onto the mattress with a little more force than necessary; his gauntlet bounced right off the edge and rolled under Cid's bed.

"It jus' ain't right, steppin' out with another gal," the big man muttered crossly.

Stripping off his sweater, the swordsman irritably pointed out, "For the record, _she_ asked me. It isn't polite to refuse a lady."

"Did you enjoy your evening with Aerith-sama?" Nanaki gravely inquired.

"Sure – I guess. Never a dull moment when she's around." Glancing around the room, he noted how the rest of his team didn't seem to be worried about the prospect of attack. "Who's up first to stand watch?"

Cid negligently waved his cigarette; Cloud did his best to not cough. The pilot was engaged in a cutthroat game of poker with Vincent and Cait, but didn't miss a beat as he declared, "ShinRa ain't gonna rumble payin' customers – it's bad for business."

"_I'm_ not that confident."

"You worry too much, boss."

Cloud's reply was lost in a purposeful rapping on the door. Barret reached over and opened it then stepped aside as Aerith bustled in; she made a bee-line for Cloud. "Oh, good - you're still dressed... well, half-dressed... oh, my..." He was taken aback when the mage stepped right up and closely inspected his bare chest. "That's a rather impressive collection of scars... especially this one." Lightly touching the vertical mark below his sternum, she asked, "Is this where Sephiroth...?"

"Yeah. Did you want something?"

Aerith smiled brightly. "I have a surprise for you."

"A... surprise?" he warily asked, then demanded, "_Please_ tell me you didn't pick up another damn stuffed cat!"

Chortling, she answered, "Something _much_ better than that! Put your clothes back on, and I'll show you." Grudgingly obeying, Cloud pulled on his sweater and followed Aerith out into the hallway... and stopped dead, his mouth briefly falling open before curving in a smirk.

Tifa fidgeted under his appreciative gaze, her slender fingers twisting together, unable to hide behind her hair because it had been braided away from her face. The demure neckline of her top perfectly framed the delicate notch at the base of her throat, but he caught a tantalizing glimpse of the plunging back when she turned to say something to a madly-grinning Yuffie. Her long skirt rustled silkily as she moved, bringing his attention to her slim ankles and feet, the latter looking almost naked in girlish flats instead of her heavy boots.

"Well? Doesn't she look terrific?" Aerith prodded.

"Absolutely," Cloud replied, ignoring their ogling teammates spilling out of the doorway behind him to step forward and offer his hand to the blushing young woman. Kissing Tifa's trembling fingers, he smiled just for her before drawling cheekily, "Don't wait up." Serenaded by a cheerful chorus of cat-calls and wolf-whistles, he escorted the young woman towards the staircase.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I wonder where they sourced this wine from?" Tifa mused, savouring her last mouthful as she relaxed in the dimly-lit lounge's plush seating.

"Wouldn't be hard to find out," Cloud replied, swirling the melting ice cubes in his tumbler. "What for?"

"Well... once all this is over, I'd like to rebuild the 7th Heaven," she shyly confessed.

"Really?"

"We'll need a place to live, and a way to earn a living, right?"

"Huh. Don't think I'm cut out to wait on tables."

"A bouncer?"

"Too short." He chuckled lightly. "Not intimidating enough."

"I can think of a few of our opponents who would beg to differ."

He drew circles on her palm with a fingertip, smiling quietly in a way that gave her goose bumps. "What would you like to do next?"

"Um… how about the Chocobo races?"

"Feeling lucky, are you?"

Sliding her hand into his as they stood up, Tifa murmured, "Very much so."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"How the hell were you able to pick them so easily?"

Tifa made sure her winnings were securely zipped into the wallet she'd had to buy. "I just chose the birds with the brightest eyes!" she exclaimed giddily.

"Brightest _eyes_?"

"The ones who looked like they were really excited about racing – that wanted to be there."

"What was that black Chocobo's name? Teioh? He was really something."

Tifa elbowed Cloud in the ribs. "Thinking about going into speciality Chocobo breeding?"

"Maybe," he genially agreed, sliding his arm around her shoulders in a gesture equal parts protective and possessive. "What next?"

Her eye was caught by movement above their heads. "How about a Gondola ride?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"What an amazing view!"

"Sure is."

Tifa shot Cloud a look over her shoulder, ready to swat him for leering, but he appeared to be giving the fireworks display his entire attention. Since he was distracted, she took a moment to admire his masculine sprawl as he lounged on the opposite bench, his arms draped across the back of the seat and his posture completely relaxed.

_I __really__ hate to maybe spoil this moment with an awkward discussion, but I doubt a better one will come along soon._ Climbing down from the seat and seating herself in a more lady-like manner, Tifa found herself copying Aerith's mannerisms and smoothing the long skirt over her legs.

"Something on your mind?"

She managed to not jump – again – at Cloud's apparent mind-reading abilities. _Suck it up, Lockhart._ "There's so much I want to say to you, but I don't know how or where to start..." Attempting to gain a few more seconds to gather her thoughts by hiding behind the curtain of her hair, she mentally cursed Yuffie's handiwork as the braid again foiled her intentions.

Cloud said nothing, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw his boots shift further apart before he slid across the floor of the gondola on his knees. His warm fingers trailed across her cheeks, lightly traced her ears before gently cupping the back of her head, his blue eyes dark and intense. "You don't always have to use words," he murmured and pulled her into a deep, sensuous kiss.

Winding her arms around his neck, Tifa gave up trying to hold onto her train of thought and instead concentrated on the joys of kissing Cloud. A small groan escaped him when she teased his tongue with her own, and a moment after that, she was on his lap on the other side of the gondola. Barely letting each other breathe, they both seemed intent on fitting themselves as closely together as possible while not breaking the contact between their lips. The heat between them rose, stoked by every kiss, every soft sound of pleasure. Boldly exploring new territory, Cloud nibbled along her jaw, nuzzling the delicate skin in front of her ear, while slowly stroking up her leg until he reached her knee.

When she tilted her head back and let out a breathy moan at the feel of his lips on her throat, one hand tangled in her hair to keep her there while the other snaked up under the long skirt to cup the back of her thigh, his fingertips tracing the trim of her panties. Tifa tensed slightly, but then relaxed when the questing touch withdrew… while becoming acutely aware of the hard length tenting the front of Cloud's trousers and pressing against her hip. _Oh, my goodness…!_ She wasn't entirely clueless about her effect on him, but every other time they'd reached this point, they'd both pulled back. _I'm not ready – yet – to take this to the next level. Well... maybe one or two levels beyond this one, but not all the way!_

Cloud appeared to sense her mental distancing, because his hands returned to neutral areas and his kisses became less aggressive… for a few moments. Tifa squeaked in surprise when he crushed her against him, his face buried in the soft crook of her neck. "Stay with me tonight," he rasped, his lips brushing her skin with every word. "We don't have to… _do_ anything, but I want to be near you." He paused, then a pleading note entered his tone. "I _need_ to be near you. _Please_."

Common sense told her to refuse, but something in the desperate way he was holding her and the tremor in his voice overrode her concerns. "Of course," she whispered, hugging him close.

His entire body slumped as he exhaled. "Thank you." The steady pace of the gondola slowed, alerting them to its imminent arrival at the station. Cloud raised Tifa to her feet, and after they'd straightened their clothing, he helped her to smooth the wrinkles out of her skirt. A steadying hand pressed against the small of her back, they waited in silence for the gondola to sway to a complete stop. Tifa briefly leaned her head against his shoulder before they stepped off, then laced her fingers with his as they headed back to the Station.

Cloud kissed her cheek during the short transit to the Ghost Inn; they both ignored the spectres floating above the tombstones in the 'graveyard' and the ominous 'thunder' as they made their way up the crooked stairs to the building's massive iron-bound doors. Once inside the lobby, Tifa faltered a little as Cloud strode up to the reception desk, but he tightened his grip on her fingers and prevented her from hanging back. When the 'undead' clerk stood up to wait on them, she managed a shaky smile when Cloud requested a room for two.

The heavy pancake make-up around his eyes crinkled as the clerk closely inspected them before asking, "Mr. and Mrs. Strife?"

While Tifa turned bright red, Cloud didn't bat an eyelash as he calmly answered, "That's us."

"Your friends reserved a room for you… and left this." Heaving a battered knapsack onto the counter, he checked off a square on a floor layout of the building. "Room 4444. No charge."

"Thanks." Cloud slung the bag over his shoulder and steered Tifa past the _shogi_-playing ghosts, then up the spiralling staircase to the third floor. Tifa had a brief moment to reconsider when they passed the landing of the floor where the rest of their team was staying, but she tamped down on her nervousness. As he guided her up the less-dizzying flight to the attic floors, 'lightning' crackled outside the arched window at the top of the stairs and the end of the corridor, illuminating the artistically placed cobwebs and a clockwork rat scuttling across the 'stone' floor.

Cloud squinted at the nearest torch-lit room number, then tugged her after him. "We're further down."

"With a room number like ours, don't you wish you had your sword?"

"Make-believe shit like this doesn't scare me. A Midgar Zolom? Now _that's_ scary." Half-way down the hall, they stopped in front of a door and he dumped the knapsack into her arms. "I'll go in first, because I wouldn't put it past 'em to booby-trap the place."

"The management? Isn't that their, er, job?"

A fair eyebrow slowly arched. "I meant our teammates."

"Oh – right."

"Aerith musta cast Sleepel on Barret to stop him from lying in wait for me with a Nail Bat." Tifa giggled nervously as Cloud barged through the door. His movement unleashed a blood-curdling – and obviously pre-recorded – shriek. After a couple of minutes of banging and cursing, during which she could've slipped away but chose not to, Cloud opened the panel and beckoned her inside. "Might have to use some of the Gold Points you won to pay for the repairs."

"Yuffie disabled the special effects in our room, too... is that a _vampire_?" she asked incredulously as she stepped across the threshold, examining a fangy mannequin draped in a tattered black cape dangling from Cloud's fist.

"It was rigged to drop onto the bed from the underside of the canopy." As she inspected the lace-draped four-poster bed, Cloud shoved the prop into the closet. "I cut all the wires, so aside from the 'storm' outside, we should be good." His tense stance finally relaxed, and he smiled crookedly as he ran his hand through his hair, suddenly appearing boyish and uncertain. "Bathroom's through there, if you wanna get ready for, um, bed."

Blushing furiously, Tifa nodded and hastened into the bathroom. Closing the door, she checked out the luxurious fittings, which included a multi-branched candelabrum next to the claw-footed tub, with only half her attention as she opened the knapsack. _I hope the girls packed my hairbrush!_ However, the first item her hand encountered was most definitely _not_ a personal grooming implement. _What's this...?_ It was a richly-hued nightgown, more lace than silk, and Tifa's cheeks flared anew as she imagined Cloud's reaction to her appearance in the blatantly sensual confection. An envelope was pinned to the dainty shoulder strap; tilting it towards the light, she read:

_It gets awfully cold in these drafty old castles at night; I guarantee this will keep you warm! ~A_

The envelope contained several small, square packages and Tifa nearly choked when she realized what they contained. The included note read:

_Disposable 'sheaths' for that 'sword' Cloud likes to brag about! ~A_

Mortified, Tifa stuffed the envelope and the nightgown back into the knapsack. _I can't wear __that__! Because we are __not__ going to need __those__... and... and... I am __so__ going to kill Aerith._ Sitting back on her heels, she mentally flailed for a few more minutes before deciding to see what other 'goodies' the mage had provided. She almost cheered in relief when she discovered her comfortable, not-sexy pyjamas under Cloud's spare sweater – until she saw the note attached to them.

_Because you'll probably chicken out. ~A _

Tifa sat stock still for a long moment, then glared at the note_. She thinks she knows me so well… darn it, I'm going to prove her wrong!_ Determinedly stripping off the borrowed clothing, she retrieved the nightgown; removing the envelope, she shoved it down to the very bottom of the knapsack. Pulling the gown over her head, she was immediately seduced by the way the fabric whispered against her skin. Freeing the length of her hair while rising to her feet, Tifa caught sight of herself in the gold-framed oval mirror over the sink and paused.

Looking back was a beautiful woman, her dark hair artfully swept back from her delicate features, wearing an exquisite lace negligee that tastefully showcased her feminine curves. _Is that… me…?_ Swallowing hard, Tifa smoothed the gown over her hips and briefly contemplated her bare toes peeping from beneath the lacy hem. Straightening, she examined her elegant appearance more closely… and experienced a surge of confidence that carried her back into the bedroom before she could have second thoughts.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф **


	9. Mirror, Mirror

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly embarrassed.

**A/N:**Merrily twisting canon to suit my own nefarious purposes.

**Warnings:** Ridiculous amounts of fluff and fanservice with a tiny bit of plot progression, plus partial nudity and sexual situations.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel. You make writing this fic so much _fun!_

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Nine: Mirror, Mirror**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

When Tifa disappeared into the bathroom, I had to close my eyes and just breathe for a few seconds to calm my racing heart. I couldn't believe that she'd agreed to stay with me and I didn't want to blow it by coming on too strong. First, to make things more difficult in case ShinRa decided to do something stupid, I jammed a sturdy-looking chair under the door handle before wondering if I dared strip right down with Tifa in the same bed. I pulled that gambit when we were still in Midgar, but there wasn't much chance of anything getting out of hand that night. We were in Aerith's bed, with Mrs. Gainsborough across the hall, and besides, Tifa lost nearly everyone she cared about only a few hours before. Only a _real_ jerk would've tried anything and I was trying to be better than that.

It's so damn _hard_, though.

When she really gets into a kiss, like the way she did on the Gondola, I swear my brain instantly engages 'lust' mode and all I can think of is exploring more of her incredible body. Those little breathy sounds she makes when my tongue is inside her mouth? _Huge_ turn-on.

The temptation to get naked just to see if she _might_ be interested in going a bit further was strong because we were really, _totally _alone, but there was a part of me that didn't want to risk scaring her. Swearing in frustration, I shucked my clothing and folded it neatly on another chair – but kept my boxers. Not that they did anything to camouflage my state of mind; Tifa would probably lock herself in the bathroom if she saw the _very_ hard evidence of my thoughts.

Folding down the blankets, I again swept the mattress and the bed frame for trip wires or triggers of any sort. With my luck, I'd roll over and set off something that would dump both of us into a dungeon – and me without any weapons except my attitude. Tifa would have to save my ass, and that would wilt my ego, among other things. Finding nothing, I slid between the sheets and settled back among the lace-trimmed pillows to wait. After several minutes of relaxing in that luxurious bed, which seemed designed solely to inspire erotic scenarios, I was about to call out to Tifa when the bathroom door opened… and I briefly forgot how to breathe.

Not _one_ of those flashy Honey Bee girls in their lacy scraps and come-hither pouts could hold a candle to Tifa in a classy floor-length nightgown and a shy smile.

I realized I was gawking when her demeanour changed subtly from confident to something more akin to fawn-about-to-flee. I wasn't sure that I'd be able to catch her if she bolted, so I re-hinged my jaw and blurted out the first word that popped into my mind. "_Beautiful._" Tifa turned a becoming shade of pink and some of the tension left her stance, but her fingers were busy twisting into the end of her braid. Sitting up, I held out my hand as she crossed the room, and while she laid her fingers across my palm, I openly admired her, making her blush deepen. "Show me the back," I requested.

Tifa has awesome breasts, of course, but it's her rear view that really gets me going. All those years of martial arts training gave her incredible legs and a tight, round, amazing rear end, and the nightgown seemed designed to showcase my favourite part of her figure. Skinny straps criss-crossed halfway down her back, creating a diamond-shaped, lace-edged frame for those two sweet divots just above the swell of her behind. The thin fabric below clung alluringly to her curves, and I was highly tempted to kiss both of her cheeks, but instead nuzzled the bare skin above. She inhaled sharply, but didn't pull away.

Emboldened, I lightly gripped her waist, more to steady myself than anything as I rolled up onto my knees. Placing a kiss on either side of the strappy 'x', I brushed aside her hair to plant one right between her shoulder blades. Tifa was holding very still, apparently not breathing, so I pressed a final kiss to the crest of her shoulder before releasing her and hiding my erection under the sheets. When she turned to look at me, I smiled in what I hoped was a reassuring manner.

Her answering smile was a little uncertain, but she didn't refuse when I pulled back the blankets in invitation. She bit her lip – Shiva, she _kills_ me when she does that – but accepted all the same. Moving back to give her more room as she carefully arranged herself beside me, I admired the picture she made, her dark hair and deeply-hued nightgown contrasting dramatically with her creamy skin and the pale linens. What really got me, though, were her feet. The glimpse of her bare toes swathed in rich lace and silk somehow made her seem more vulnerable, and when those slim feet began rubbing fretfully against each other, I realized that I was probably making her more nervous than was necessary.

Reluctantly covering her up, because the way the soft fabric draped was pretty damn delicious, I carefully tucked the blankets around her shoulders and settled in beside her. Tifa's eyes were wide and dark, her mouth soft, and my control – or lack of it - _really_ became an issue. In an attempt to distract myself, I brought up something that had been eating at me all night.

"Do you know who I remind Aerith of?"

Her hand found mine under the blankets and squeezed. "You know about her first boyfriend, right?"

"The other SOLDIER. The pink guy."

"The _pink _guy...?"

"Ever since I saw her bedroom, I've thought of him as the 'pink guy'," I admitted.

She giggled. "Funnily enough, he _was_ a 'pink guy' – sort of. She wears that pink dress because of him."

"Well, I'm _not_," I growled. "I'm me... right?"

Tifa's expression softened and she nestled closer. "There's only one Cloud Strife," she whispered, stroking my cheek.

"But then why would she say I'm 'exactly' like him?" I grumbled while shamelessly enjoying the ego-boost.

"For example?"

"The way I walk, for one thing."

"You _do_ tend to swagger..."

"Not intentionally! That sword's damn _heavy_!"

"Strut, then?" she cheekily suggested.

"You're making me sound like a Chocobo rooster." As I mock-glared, Tifa grinned mischievously and ruffled my hair. "Hey!"

"You have to admit that there's a striking resemblance," she teased.

"Whatever." I pouted, and Tifa obligingly kissed away my pique; I took the opportunity to slip my arm around her. She cuddled into my shoulder; we took a few moments to rearrange ourselves until we were comfortably entwined. Sighing contentedly, I hugged her close. For a night that started out less than promising – that stupid play was absolutely _lame_ - I couldn't complain about how it ended. However, something else that Aerith said was still bothering me. Running my fingers over the intricate braiding in Tifa's hair, I murmured, "Aerith also said that she wants to meet 'me'... what the hell did she mean by that? I was sitting right there, for Shiva's sake!"

Tifa went very still, then propped herself up on one elbow to look down at me; I caught the shadow that flitted across her expression. However, she smiled genuinely enough as she answered, "She's never really had a chance to see _this_ side of you – she only knows the arrogant guy who's always bossing us around. Maybe that's what she meant?"

"I'm _not_ bossy... _you_ try herding cats for a day," I scowled.

"We're not the easiest bunch to deal with," she solemnly agreed, "and we rely on you perhaps a little _too_ much to get us out of whatever trouble we find ourselves in. You really are our 'knight in shining armour'."

Even though the following kiss was very sweet and _highly_ enjoyable, that phrase made me think of Nibelheim, and then I remembered how stressed she and Aerith had been the day Vincent joined us. "What did you find in the Mansion's basement?" This time, Tifa froze before shuddering violently; there was _no_ hiding that reaction. "Did something attack you?" I demanded sharply.

"N-no... well, a few Black Bats, but Nanaki took care of them." She bit her lip again; this time the action didn't sidetrack me.

"Tell me."

Exhaling heavily, Tifa seemed to find the scars on my chest highly interesting. I stifled my impatience because it was obvious that she was gathering her thoughts, and they were very upsetting. "We found an abandoned laboratory," she finally murmured. "There was debris everywhere and... and rotted pieces of... _things_... that Nanaki identified as formerly human." The horror in her voice wrapped icy fingers around my guts. "There were also huge test tubes, big enough to hold a man..."

The chill abruptly spread through my entire body, and I _knew_. "I... was kept in one of those," I whispered thickly, shivering in the grip of some sort of visceral memory as I turned my head away. "What if... I'm a monster?" I couldn't look at Tifa, afraid of what I might find in her expression. Pity or disgust or horror - I couldn't handle seeing any of them in her vivid eyes.

"You're _not_." Her tone was so fierce that I looked back before I could stop myself, and was pinned by her blazing glare. "You're _not_ a monster," Tifa repeated determinedly, as if by saying it, she could make it so.

"I hear voices in my head, sometimes my eyes turn green and I attack people I care about," I flatly replied, trying to keep my panic under control. "Someone once told me that SOLDIER is like a den of monsters, and to not go inside - but I did anyways."

Tifa trapped my face between her palms. "The only difference between a hero and a monster is in how they use their power – for good or for evil." One of her hands slid down, coming to rest over Sephiroth's mark. "You carry a permanent reminder of that difference... and _I_ don't believe that you'll ever cross that line."

I stared up at her for a long moment before choking out, "How can you believe in me so strongly?"

"Why is it so hard to believe that I do?" she asked gently.

I pulled her down, pressing her to my heart. "I hope you're right," I mumbled into her hair. Tifa's reply was to start kissing her way across my chest, following the scars carved into my flesh. "Wh-what are you doing?" I managed to ask, the tender attention bringing my thoroughly-deflated arousal back to life.

Tifa looked up, giving me a fantastic view down her cleavage. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Hell, _no_!" Her smile was a little bashful before she returned to distracting me, and I closed my eyes to concentrate on the sensations. Shiva, it was _fantastic_, and I momentarily lost all conscious thought except for how damn _good_ it felt - until Tifa slid on top of me in order to explore the other side of my chest. There was absolutely _no way_ to hide my erection, but she didn't seem to be put off by the hard length poking her in the belly - not that she wanted to make friends with it or anything, but she wasn't trying to avoid it - so I relaxed again... until her lips grazed my nipple and my body involuntarily curled, as if trying to hold onto the stimulation.

"Is... something wrong?"

"_N-nothing_," I managed to croak. "'S _all_ good!"

This time she blushed, but continued with enthusiasm while I made appreciative noises, wound her braid around my hand and caressed her back while trying to not writhe too much - although it was harder and harder to control my reactions. When Tifa nibbled her way up my throat to my lips, her incredible curves sliding over my hyper-sensitized skin, I lost it. Gripping her ass, I yanked her hard against my crotch and frantically rocked my hips. She exhaled sharply, but she stayed in the kiss even when I practically shoved my tongue in her mouth. And just when things might have become _really_ interesting -

I completely and utterly embarrassed myself. "_Shit_!"

"I'm sorry!"

I'm surprised my ears didn't burst into flame because my face could've been used as a fire-starter, but I held onto enough sense to hang onto Tifa as I rode out my orgasm. "This w-wasn't your fault," I gasped, holding her tightly as the fabric between us rapidly soaked through from my ejaculate. "I g-got a little too excited."

"Just a little?" she wryly asked, but didn't try to wriggle free, despite the fact her elegant nightgown had been pretty much ruined by my libido; this was definitely _not_ how I'd planned on getting her out of it, _dammit_.

Gentle fingers touched my face. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah... aside from terminal humiliation," I winced. "Uh, sorry about your nightie."

"It'll wash." Pushing against my hold, Tifa raised herself on her elbows to inspect the damage.

I grimaced again when I saw the damp stain spreading across her stomach, causing the silk to cling to her skin; her navel was clearly delineated. "_Damn_."

"No problem. I'll rinse it out, and it'll be dry by morning." I didn't expect the light kiss before she hopped out of bed and headed into the bathroom, but it went a long way to making me feel somewhat better about the situation... although I still wanted to beat my head against the nearest fake-stone wall. Instead, I counted patterns in the lace canopy while more than just my skin cooled down.

When Tifa popped back out of the bathroom, hairbrush in hand, it took me a moment or two to realize that she was only wearing her pyjama top... and that it was very, _very_ short, just shy of indecent exposure, which cost me a few moments of inattention before I pulled myself back to what she was saying. "... forgot to pack extra underwear, so I left my pyjama bottoms on the counter for you."

I blinked rapidly. "Your... pyjamas...?"

"It's better than nothing," she replied, seating herself on the other side of the bed and tucking her bare legs under the covers before starting to undo the fancy braid.

"Um... thanks?"

She grinned cheekily. "You're welcome!"

Keeping my hand over my crotch, because the threat of flowered pyjama bottoms hadn't killed the boner caused by her appearance in the top, I sidled into the bathroom and closed the door. Tifa had left the sink full of hot water, with a washcloth folded on the rim; I quickly stripped and cleaned up, then rinsed my boxers and hung them over the shower rail next to her dripping nightgown. I snivelled a bit, thinking about how enticing she'd looked in it, before contemplating the neatly-folded pile of flannel. Sighing, I shook out the bottoms and put them on; at least they had a drawstring waist. They were closer-fitting than I would have liked, not to mention _extremely_ girly, but Tifa was right – they were better than nothing, and despite my earlier bravado, I wasn't going back out there buck-naked.

When I walked into the bedroom, Tifa positively smirked at my appearance. "Don't say a word," I sternly ordered.

"Okay." And then she had the nerve to _laugh_, the brat.

I shot her a glare, then noticed that she was having trouble deconstructing the braid. "Need help?"

She huffed and looked sheepish. "Yes, please. I swear that Yuffie must've tied knots!"

Edging my knee between her bottom and the pillow, I eased onto the mattress behind her; she obligingly scooted forward to make room and tilted back her head. "Are you sure this isn't some kind of obscure Wutain torture method?" I asked, carefully working my fingertips into the tightly-braided strands.

"Could be... _ow_!"

"Sorry. Did she use glue on your hair, or what?"

"One of Aerith's hair products." Sighing in relief as the braids finally loosened, Tifa reached up to thoroughly rub her scalp while I fished around the blankets for her brush. Working my way up the length of her hair and then stroking through the glossy strands several times, I grinned when she emitted a contented hum and her shoulders relaxed. "Thank you," she murmured.

"No problem." I dropped her brush into her lap and slid out from behind her. By the time I circled the bed to climb in on my side, Tifa was buried in the blankets, watching me with mischief in her gaze. "Say something, and..." I threatened.

"And what?" she challenged.

I whapped her with my pillow, she let out a delighted squeal - and the fight was on. Gleefully cackling, Tifa managed to straddle my waist and then thoroughly clobbered me with a rapid-fire attack featuring a pillow in each hand. I _could_ say I wasn't trying that hard, but that'd be a lie; she's a formidable opponent, even when she's joking around.

"Okay, okay – I give!" I finally yelped after I gave up trying to fend her off and instead covered my face.

Tifa was flushed and giggling, her hair tumbling over her shoulders, her eyes bright when I peeked through my fingers. Then she bent down and kissed me, and I decided I didn't mind losing when the consolation was so sweet. When she broke the kiss, she stretched out beside me and nestled close, her head on my shoulder. Pulling up the blankets, I nuzzled her forehead and she sighed happily.

As I snuffed the candles, Tifa murmured, "Good night, Cloud."

Settling back into the pillows, my best friend drowsing in my arms, I had to agree – despite some ups and downs, it definitely had been a _good_ night.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Spooning with a hot girl is an _awesome_ way to wake up... so long as you have time to remove your appendages from any soft, curvaceous places that they might have wandered into before _she_ wakes up. Very, very slowly, I extracted my hand from where it was happily cupping her breast; Tifa murmured before settling into a deeper slumber. Daring to breathe again, I draped my arm around her waist; warm, comfortable, relaxed, and really, _really_ enjoying this closeness with my favourite girl, I wasn't in any particular hurry to start the day.

Part of the reason I didn't want to move was the delicious way she smelled; I was more smug than embarrassed that there was the slightest hint of _me_ twining into the scent of her skin. It was so light that possibly only Nanaki might be able to detect it, but I pouted at the thought she'd wash it away. That gave me an idea which would probably get me killed – by both Tifa _and_ Barret if they noticed. The neckline of her pyjama top was just loose enough, so I first swirled my tongue over the nape of her neck to test how close to waking up she was. She didn't even twitch, so I set about marking her as mine by lightly sucking on the delicate skin until a small, gil-sized red patch appeared. The hickey would be hidden by her hair, but I'd know it was there.

Pleased with myself, I hugged her close. Tifa mumbled what sounded like my name, then nestled backwards into my embrace. This move brought her bottom into full contact with my morning wood, which caused all sorts of issues because I sure as hell didn't want a repeat of last night, _especially_ since I was wearing her pyjamas. I put some distance between us, but Tifa let out a discontented noise and followed until we were again pressed snugly together. Then she shifted her hips a couple of times and the friction nearly drove me insane. Forcefully breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth a few times, I managed to stave off disaster long enough for her to settle again. Hastily rolling out of the bedding, I dashed for the bathroom.

When I came back about ten minutes later, much calmer after taking the matter in hand, I grinned at the sight of Tifa hugging my pillow. Tucking in on her side of the mattress, I only had to wait a couple of minutes before she migrated back across the bed and into my arms. She was pliant and clinging, winding herself around me in an intimate manner that would've caused all sorts of problems if I was still riled up. Instead, I began stroking her hair while watching the fake rain trickling down the window, and those simple pleasures soothed me back to sleep.

Tifa woke me up about an hour later with a gentle kiss. Her eyes were dark and limpid, her smile soft. "Good morning."

"With you? Always," I answered, twirling a silky lock around my finger.

Sighing contentedly, she murmured, "I really enjoy doing this with you."

"Mm. Nice to take a break from the crazy," I agreed, fairly sure she wasn't talking about her effect on my libido. "As much as I hate to suggest it, we'd better get moving before Barret comes looking for us."

"Darn. I was hoping for a bath..."

"Go ahead – the door's barricaded."

Kissing me again, Tifa slid out of bed and scampered into the bathroom. She left the door open, so I could hear the water running in that gaudily-clawed tub, and then muted splashing sounds as she settled herself. I had just begun imagining how she looked, all slick and glistening, which wouldn't have ended well for either the sheets or her pyjama bottoms, when she began singing in a low, throaty voice. She definitely didn't realize that the tiled bathroom amplified the sound, because the song she chose was a naughty old-time ballad about a lovely maiden and a handsome lad getting up to mischief in a hayloft. All our mothers seemed to know it and would bust out a refrain or two when they were feeling playful.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard Tifa sing, and that includes school recitals, because she concentrated on the piano; I'm biased, but if she'd performed at 7th Heaven instead of tending bar, the place would've been standing room only every night – followed by an awful lot of busted heads from me reminding the patrons that she was off-limits. Folding my hands behind my head, I enjoyed my private concert by a husky-voiced songstress, even humming along with the last couple of bars.

"Do you want in?" she called, and my mind took an immediate swan-dive into the gutter until I realized she meant something entirely innocent.

"Uh, sure."

She appeared in the doorway swathed in towels. "It's all yours."

"Wash my back?" I teasingly asked as I passed her.

"Maybe next time. Hurry up – I'm starving," she briskly replied. Busying herself with the knapsack and an armload of clothing, she missed my scowl at her brush-off. Taking off the pyjama bottoms, I tossed them out into the bedroom before climbing into the tub. The bag was placed just inside the door a few minutes later, with my spare sweater plus the rest of my clothes draped over the top. Feeling rather grumpy, I quickly washed up and dried off.

Making a face at the way my damp boxers clung to my ass, I impulsively decided to go commando until I could replace them out of my luggage. Rolling up the garment, I went to stuff it into the knapsack... but when I reached inside to make sure they wouldn't soak through anything belonging to Tifa, my fingertip caught on something pointed. Pulling out an envelope, I frowned at the note written on it in a dainty hand –something about drafty old castles and staying warm – before shaking its contents out onto my palm. I nearly dropped the packets of condoms when I realized what they were; torn between surprise and keen interest, I then found the notes referencing my 'sword' and needling Tifa about 'chickening out'.

The fact that the condoms had been hidden at the bottom of the bag spoke volumes. Tifa didn't 'chicken out', exactly – and I was suddenly sure that Aerith had everything to do with that sexy nightgown – but she definitely wasn't ready for physical intimacy.

Still not enough trust. My aggressiveness last night had probably put her on guard, so I was determined to be better-behaved.

Replacing everything the way I found it, I hid the boxers inside my dirty sweater, figuring that it would act as a barrier to keep Tifa's clothing dry. Donning my clean top, I tucked it into my trousers and carried the knapsack out into the bedroom. Tifa was dressed in the long skirt and top from last night, but barefoot on the thick rug beneath the table and chairs placed in front of the room's window. Outside, it appeared to be a real thunderstorm; the fake downpour matched my mood, with an imaginary little black rain cloud over my head.

Gesturing to the fancy basket sitting on the table, she said, "Breakfast was delivered to the door – tea?"

"Sure." Setting down the knapsack, I seated myself across from her and checked out the spread. Selecting a crescent-shaped bun and splitting it open, I appreciatively inhaled the aroma of warm bread and immediately felt a little better. The hot cup of tea Tifa set in front of me a few seconds later also helped, so by the time I'd added a spoonful of jam to the bread and munched my way through it, I had regrouped. With a cup of decent tea at my elbow – Cid's usual morning brew could strip paint – and a pretty girl serving me breakfast, I muttered, "I could get used to this."

"Staying in a haunted inn?" she teased.

Giving her a tolerant look, I replied, "Waking up beside you, eating breakfast together – stuff that normal couples do."

Tifa's expression became solemn, and she began toying with her spoon. The silence between us stretched, and I had a sickening premonition that she was about to give me the 'just friends' speech; my heart dropped like a stone.

However, just when my stomach knotted so tightly that I was afraid I was about to lose my nice meal, Tifa hitched her chair closer and reached for my hand. Her fingers were cold and trembling, but she determinedly wove them with mine and squeezed. Looking so sweetly sincere, she declared, "You're my most precious person, Cloud. I'd give my life to protect you, but... there's something I need to tell you, and I'm afraid that it'll upset everything..."

"Is it really that hard to say 'I love you but I'm not ready for sex'?" I quietly asked, taking a wild stab at what I hoped was on her mind.

Tifa blinked rapidly several times, and then her eyes widened. Her lips moved, but no words came out, and I figured that I'd hit the nail on the head - if not, I'd come close enough. Since she was still speechless, I leaned in and softly kissed her on the lips. Her response was warm, but just the tiniest bit hesitant, so I reconsidered an impulsive idea to move us onto the bed and thoroughly demonstrate just how much I cared about her. Maybe I _was_ moving too fast – we'd only met up again a few months ago after being separated for five years – but _dammit_, I wanted her. Heart, hand and all the rest. Breaking the kiss, I bumped her nose with mine. "Tell me when you're ready – really, _really_ ready – to handle the full consequences of what you need to say," I murmured, "Because it'll be for keeps."

"For... keeps?" she repeated, sounding dazed. Nodding, I watched her expression change from awestruck to thoughtful to something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. "I _am_ afraid of the consequences," she finally admitted, finding my chin rather interesting.

I sensed an undercurrent, like there was more than one conversation going on, but decided to stick with the obvious. "It's okay – I won't push you to go further than you're comfortable, but I think I made it clear last night that I want to be yours."

"Yes, um, that was very, er, obvious," she agreed, her cheeks turning almost as pink as mine.

"Thanks for not running away screaming," I grinned, chuckling weakly. When she laughed as well, the tension between us dissipated, and things were back to normal.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

We were descending the stairs hand-in-hand, Tifa's light footfalls in the dainty shoes almost drowned out by the thud of my boots, when we spotted movement down in the lobby.

"What's _he_ doing?" Tifa muttered as we watched Cait Sith half-tumble down the last few steps, tripped up by a large, lumpy sack that was nearly as big as he was. Dusting himself off and straightening his crown, the toy cat proceeded to drag the sack towards the entrance doors.

"Is he alone?" I asked, puzzled.

She leaned over the railing. "Yes. What do you suppose was in that bag?"

We figured it out at the same time. "The Keystone!"

"That little bastard," I snarled, shoving the knapsack into Tifa's arms. I had one hand on the railing, ready to make the jump, when she grabbed the back of my sweater.

"You don't have your sword, so you need me for backup!" she insisted.

"Fine." Stooping, I slung her over my shoulder. "Hang on." To her credit, Tifa didn't say a word about my manhandling, just gripped the back of my belt as I took us over the railing. Landing on the lobby's tiled floor a split-second later, I set Tifa on her feet and snagged the knapsack. Tossing it to the ghostly day clerk, I snapped, "Watch that," and then we were in hot pursuit.

Tifa made it to the 'graveyard' before she cursed mildly and kicked off her girly flats. Snatching them up, she easily kept pace with me in bare feet. Catching a glimpse of our quarry's red cloak disappearing into the Station tube, we dove after him. "He must be heading for the Tram!" Tifa exclaimed a few moments later, when Cait was nowhere to be seen at the exit. Dashing to the Entrance, we noticed right away that the Tram was still parked, so the cat couldn't have escaped that way.

"Where could he have gone?"

"Up." Reversing direction, we galloped back to the Station and jumped into the Event Square tube. "When we get there, you cut off his access to the exit tube. He can't go any higher, so we have him cornered."

"Maybe I should have stayed down at the Entrance, in case he makes another try at the Tram," she worried.

"Too late now."

With the rush of air in our ears, we burst out of the tube at the top of the Saucer. Tifa threw herself sideways to cover the exit, but it was unnecessary. Cait was scampering up the staircase with the sack over his shoulder, showing no signs of difficulty with the height of the risers like he had in Nibelheim. The menacing _thunk-thunk-thunk_ of a helicopter gunship was suddenly very, very close – and me without a weapon, _dammit_ – as Cait reached the top of the flight. Tifa shouted something, pointing at the distinctive badge on the chopper's fuselage, but the rotors' backwash whipped away her words. I grabbed onto her for balance as the chopper slowly dropped until its skid touched the top stair.

The door slid open, revealing Tseng. At his signal, Cait easily tossed the bag containing the Keystone up into his hands. "Good work," he called, and then the door slammed shut. The gunship slowly spun on its axis, its assorted weaponry training on us; tightening my grip on Tifa, I prepared to dive for the exit tube when the gun barrels angled away and the chopper sped off into the pale desert dawn.

Snapping my attention to our furry fifth columnist, I slowly advanced up the stairs towards Cait Sith with Tifa right beside me, flexing her fists. Cait looked remarkably unperturbed that he was about to be painfully interrogated; in fact, he had the gall to clasp his paws behind his head and lounge against a decorative plinth holding a statue of a fat Moogle brandishing a flimsy-looking bow.

"G'mornin'," Cait coolly greeted us. "Goin' t' be a fine day."

"Not so good for ShinRa spies," I snarled.

"Now, now, laddie – no need for idle threats." The grating accent abruptly disappeared, Cait Sith's voice becoming smoother, deeper, and annoyingly familiar. "We'll be carrying on as before."

"Like _hell_. I'm gonna send you back to Rufus in pieces."

Sadly shaking his head as he stood upright in those ridiculous red boots, he sighed, "I hoped I wouldn't have to do this." Pressing the centre of his chest, he watched for our reactions as a voice filtered through hidden speakers.

"Daddy! _Daddy_!"

"_Marlene_!" Tifa gasped.

"Tifa?"

"Marlene, sweetie – are you well?" she asked anxiously.

"Where's Daddy?"

"He's all right, squirt," I said, doing my best to sound calm and reassuring, for both Marlene and Tifa's sakes.

"Cloud? Come get me, please!"

"Where are you?"

"In..."

"That's enough," Cait purred, tapping his chest and cutting off the transmission. "I needn't tell you that Marlene's continued well-being depends on your co-operation, hmmm?"

"You _bastard_," I gritted out. Beside me, Tifa abruptly slammed her bare fist into the plinth, sending pulverized concrete showering down onto Cait's head. The cat made no comment, but I'm sure he got the general idea; if he didn't, I drove the point home.

Wrapping my hand around the cat's scrawny neck, I lifted the toy up to eye level. Squeezing until I felt a servo or two pop while staring into its unblinking electronic eyes, I hissed, "If _anything_ happens to that little girl, _nothing_ will stop me from hunting you down and killing you very, very slowly and very, very messily – and trust me, that'd be a mercy killing next to what Barret will do to you." Dropping Cait at my feet, I turned to tend to Tifa. Her knuckles were bleeding and her face was white with pain, but her eyes were burning with fury.

"Come on," I urged. "We're done here."

She reluctantly let me lead her back down the stairs. Taking her shoes, I crouched and slid them onto her feet. Mindful of her injured hand, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into the tube. Trembling violently, she buried her face in my chest as we dropped towards Station Square. I stroked her back, but she wasn't crying – she was shaking with rage. "What do we tell the others?" she asked bitterly.

"To watch what they say around the asshole."

"Don't tell Barret about Marlene – he'll lose it."

"Agreed."

I kept my arm around her as we headed back up to the Ghost Inn while she concentrated on keeping any bloody drips away from the flowing skirt. In the lobby, we were greeted by a smirking Yuffie, but her expression changed the second she noticed Tifa's hand. "Yikes! Can't this guy keep you out of a brawl even on a date night?" Tifa glanced up at me; I curtly nodded, and she went with Yuffie. Collecting the knapsack from the bug-eyed clerk, I followed them up the stairs.

In the boys' room, Cid appeared extremely content, his head wreathed in smoke and his hand wrapped possessively around a large teapot, so I guessed that he'd overridden Barret's objections to make his morning rocket fuel. The big man in question was giving me an impressive evil eye, obviously unhappy with my overnighter with Tifa, but I ignored him in favour of finding clean underwear. "Cait Sith is a ShinRa spy," I announced while rummaging through my bag. "He stole the Keystone this morning and gave it to the Turks. I'm open to suggestions as to where we might start looking for it."

_That_ certainly set the cat among the pigeons, as they say. The only one who didn't look surprised was Nanaki. Well, Vincent, too - but I doubt anything short of a reactor explosion would rate a raised eyebrow.

"Wait jus' a damn minute, Spiky! What're we gonna do about the cat?" Barret bellowed.

I thought fast. "Now that we know what he is, his effectiveness in acting for ShinRa is reduced. Just carry on as if nothing's changed."

"But now the fuckers know exactly where we are!"

"They have for a while – ever since we first acquired him. Since they haven't directly attacked us, I think they're trying to use us to find Sephiroth."

Cid took a long drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled. "So we don't treat the cat any differently, despite the danger he represents?"

Keeping an eye on Barret, who was grumbling loudly to himself, I said, "There are extenuating circumstances." The other three seemed to catch my drift, even if they didn't quite understand the full ramifications. Ducking into the bathroom to avoid difficult questions, I quickly put on my underwear, then returned to the room to suit up in my armour. Slinging my sword onto my back, I picked up both knapsacks. "I'm returning this to the girls. Be ready to leave by the time I come back."

Nanaki followed me out into the hall. "Cloud-san… about the cat." I gave him my full attention and he continued, "The scent of the ShinRa Tower clings to him, along with that of a human male."

"So he's direct from head office. Anything distinctive about the scent?"

"It is sour." He furrowed his furry brow, searching for the correct words. "Like the man was upset or angry when he created the cat."

"Upset at us… or ShinRa?" I mused, contemplating the smooth tones of Cait's 'real' voice.

"That I cannot determine through scent," Nanaki said seriously.

All of a sudden, I remembered where I'd heard the voice before. "Reeve Tuesti," I exclaimed. "He seemed like the only one of President Shinra's goons who actually had a conscience – he protested their plan to leave Sector Seven in ruins."

Nanaki nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I never saw him, but his name came up regularly in discussion in the lab. Most of the staff appeared to think highly of him."

"We have to hope that Reeve's actually a decent sort, because he's holding Barret's daughter hostage."

"Why did you not tell Barret-san?"

I gave him a droll look; he thought about it, then rolled his eye at himself before commenting, "What is that saying about keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer? I shall be the cat's escort from now on."

"He'll have to ride on you," I warned.

Sharp teeth gleamed. "All the better to keep him within range."

Grinning back, I continued down the hall and rapped on the girls' door. Aerith opened it, looked me up and down, then extracted the knapsack from my hand. "Give me a few minutes to pack this and we're ready to go. Tifa brought us up to speed." Hesitating a moment, she quietly added, "I'm sorry that your morning together was ruined by Cait Sith."

"No worries… last night was _awesome_. Thanks for setting everything up."

A sunny smile bloomed across Aerith's pretty face. "I'm glad to help." She opened the door wider, revealing Tifa dressed in boots, slacks and sweater, her bare arms covered by gauntlets and gloves. Shouldering into her knapsack, my girl also smiled, but hers was determined rather than bright. Slipping her hand into mine, she squeezed, then stayed close while Aerith and Yuffie gathered the last of their things. I nudged the crown of her head with my chin; when she looked up, I gave her a lingering kiss. The other two were wearing blinding grins when we finally broke apart, and I couldn't resist a cheeky smirk in response.

When we headed back down the hall to collect the rest, I heard Yuffie whisper, "We'll be in that wedding party yet, 'Cousin Aerith'!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I can't accept Gold Points to pay for the damages, miss!"

"Why not? They're the currency of the Gold Saucer, aren't they?"

"Yes, but..." The day clerk's shoulders slumped; for a ghost, she was awfully solid. "We normally accept payment in gil."

"Then you're saying these Gold Points are worthless, despite their exchange rate with gil?" Tifa was being polite, but I could see the steam trickling out of her ears.

"Well..."

"I would like to speak to the manager, please."

"Mr. Dio is a very busy man..."

"No doubt having his ass buffed," Cid helpfully chimed in.

Tifa smiled very sweetly and very dangerously; if I were the clerk, I'd be planning an exit strategy about now. This gal had the sense to pick up the phone and make the call. We only waited for a minute or two before Dio bustled into the lobby, mercifully wearing a bathrobe – but it was about the same length as one of Tifa's miniskirts.

"Why am I not surprised that you're involved in a complaint, boy?"

"Not this time," I drawled, pointing at Tifa. "The lady here wants to know why Gold Points aren't considered legal tender."

Dio stroked his moustache, giving Tifa his best oily smile. "What seems to be the problem, miss?"

"We disabled the special effects in our rooms so that we could get some sleep, and I'd like to pay for the repairs with the Gold Points I won last night at the Chocobo races." Tifa was direct; I admired that in a woman.

"Ah... so _you_ were the lucky young lady! My staff was very impressed with your ability to pick the winners!" Dio contemplated Tifa for a moment, glanced at me and then caved fairly gracefully. "Of _course_ we will accept your Gold Points! The customer is always right!"

I quietly gagged as Tifa handed over her bulging wallet and informed the clerk of the three room numbers. Dio cheerily wished us all a good day, and we finally escaped from the Ghost Inn.

Outside the lobby, we found Cait Sith sitting on the top step, kicking his heels. He looked rather forlorn, but we clattered past as if he wasn't there until Nanaki stopped. Fixing Cait with a steely look, he offered to give the cat a lift so he wouldn't 'slow us down'; in contrast to his over-the-top act when Barret agreed to carry him, Cait bowed deeply and waited for Nanaki to crouch before scrambling up onto his back.

"Where we goin' now?" Barret asked, plainly disgruntled. Tifa and I were again holding hands, and he appeared torn between glaring at me and our resident spy.

"Like I said, I'm open to suggestions," I replied, making a point of tugging Tifa closer to my side just to watch him glower.

"The Temple of the Ancients." Cait ducked his head under the weight of our suspicion, but gamely continued, "The Keystone is supposed to open the Temple, which is rumoured to have a connection to the fabled Black Materia. ShinRa is hoping to lay a trap for Sephiroth and find the Promised Land at the same time."

This dovetailed nicely with my own suspicions; as I mulled things over, my dormant Sephi-radar came back online with a vengeance and I actually staggered slightly. 'Instincts', my ass – if I possibly shared Jenova cells with Sephiroth as a member of SOLDIER, then I had a connection to him - just like that retired SOLDIER and his inexplicable urge to dress in black… and possibly those poor bastards in Nibelheim, too.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked quietly, her arm a steadying pressure around my waist.

Maybe the 'Reunion' had something to do with those of us who were treated with Jenova cells? There was no doubt that the resurgent impulse inside my head insisted I head east; I decided to test it. "Cait - where is the Temple of the Ancients?"

"East of here, on an island."

That settled it. "Lead on, cat. We wouldn't want to disappoint ShinRa... or Sephiroth."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I've jus' 'bout had enough o' this shit!" Barret roared, firing off a barrage at a flock of hovering Slaps, but the creatures merely fluttered aside. We'd already fought off a Tonadu plus several Dual Horns since landing on the island when the Slaps showed up at dusk. The words were barely out of Barret's mouth when the Slaps vanished. "Fin'lly," he grumbled, reloading his weapon while the rest of us took a well-deserved breather.

"Put your hands up!"

A squad of SOLDIERs, Third Class, poured out of the underbrush with their weapons raised. Vincent instantly dispatched an officer in the back row, but that didn't stop the men from forming up for an attack.

"Where'n the fucking hell did _they_ come from?" Cid demanded wearily, pushing his goggles further up on his forehead and leaving dirty fingerprints behind. "Can't a body even have a goddamn cup of tea between fucking dust-ups?"

"The Turks must've called fer back-up from Junon," Cait exclaimed before yowling, "_Whoa_ there, laddie!"

Nanaki tossed Cait off his back and charged into the formation, his body wreathed in flames; when the SOLDIERs broke ranks to avoid him, Cid and Vincent picked them off with lance and bullet. Cait scrambled behind us to take shelter with Tifa and Yuffie, who were protecting Aerith. Lurid cursing erupted from Barret as his gun-arm jammed; I covered him while he struggled to clear the blockage instead of fighting in the front lines, because I was preoccupied. An insistent urge to keep moving towards the east was screwing with my concentration. If I was right about having Jenova cells in my system, then the strength of this 'pull' meant Sephiroth was definitely in the vicinity, and I was worried about endangering my team by 'going green' if he showed up.

"Take cover!" My hair stood on end as power crackled behind me. Aerith whirled her staff, preparing to unleash a massive spell, and we scattered as she let it fly.

Then one of the bastards used Reflect.

Tifa screamed a warning as she leapt in front of the other woman, and was promptly engulfed in fluorescing energy. She crumpled to the ground and began struggling violently, as if she was mortally wounded** – **and I flipped out. Fury roaring through my veins, I snatched a red materia out of my array and brandished it at our attackers.

"_Ifrit!_"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	10. Sideswiped

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly traumatized.

**A/N:**Totally making up the bit about when Third Class SOLDIERs receive their first mako treatment, due to a lack of official sources. I can't really see recruits (willing or otherwise) being pumped with a substance that gives them superhuman strength within five minutes of entering the program. To keep the unwilling from immediately using their new power to thump their captors, a secondary screening program before bestowing the mako/Jenova serum would be more plausible.

You may also assume that dog-tags are made of mythril or some other indestructible material, and that the entire team witnessed the events inside the Temple, as opposed to only a party of three.

Pinching some dialogue from _Crisis Core_ and _Advent Children: Complete_.

**Warnings:** Acute whiplash potential and suspension of disbelief required. No, really.

**Acknowledgement:** Credit (or blame) for the mayhem in this chapter goes to Anjeeru, who snuck a devious little bunny into the Hutch months ago when she reviewed _Learning Curve._

**Special thanks **to my husband, who good-naturedly answered my numerous questions without turning _too_ red.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, who never let the bunnies run _too_ wild.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Ten: Sideswiped**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Now that's what I call 'firepower'," Cid laconically commented, using a smouldering branch to light a fresh cigarette. Aside from Vincent, he appeared to be the only one unaffected by the acrid-smelling clouds swirling around the blackened clearing. Wiping my streaming eyes with a shaking hand, I watched Vincent collect dog-tags from the charred bodies of the SOLDIERs; since the gunman didn't seem the type to trophy hunt, I briefly wondered what he intended to do with them. I also spared a thought for what had happened to _my_ dog-tags, since I seemed to have lost them. Probably removed during my stint as Hojo's lab animal.

Rolling the Summon materia between my fingers, I forced myself to wait until my heart rate had slowed instead of giving into my first impulse to dash to Tifa's side. Aerith would've taken care of any injuries she suffered, so I knew she was alive and well. Besides, my preferred method of checking Tifa's wounds would involve a lot less clothing and no audience, and that was definitely out of the question. Putting away the materia, I moved towards the rest of our group, then wondered why Tifa was thoroughly bundled up, her boots and gloves discarded on the ground. I was close enough to hear Aerith's low comments to Yuffie as she pulled a flap of the unzipped bedroll up over Tifa's head, but not enough to make sense of them.

"None of us have anything she can borrow - time for you to make good on that boast." The young ninja looked puzzled; Aerith scowled. "Something about 'five minutes and a ShinRa supply depot'?"

Understanding dawned, quickly followed by more confusion. "Right! But... there isn't one around here...?"

"Those SOLDIERs arrived on this island in some kind of military transport, and it'll be stocked with equipment."

Yuffie grinned toothily. "I'm on it!" There was a further whispered conference before the teen glanced around. Sprinting across the smoking ground, she buttonholed Vincent; after a brief exchange of words, the gunman nodded, and then they were gone.

Aerith turned her attention to us. "Nanaki, will you stay? The rest of you can set up camp – somewhere _far_ away from here. We're not going any further tonight, ShinRa and Sephiroth be damned." Barret stomped off, beckoning to Cid; Cait trailed along behind. When I approached, Aerith pulled Tifa closer, as if I was some kind of threat.

Giving Aerith a sharp look, I rested my hand on Tifa's shoulder. "You all right?" The huddled form made a movement that felt like an affirmative; I squeezed before letting go. "Don't be long."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Barret and Cid were thoroughly engaged in their nightly scrap over the tea kettle when Vincent and Yuffie entered the clearing. The teen appeared both mightily pleased with herself and incredibly tense as she threw herself down beside the fire and began breaking twigs to feed the flames; she assiduously avoided meeting my gaze. Vincent wasn't any more forthcoming when I tried to catch his eye; instead, he tossed Barret a case of ammunition and began cleaning his gun. Hefting my sword, I was about to go in search of the girls when Nanaki arrived in the circle of firelight with Aerith in his wake.

And behind _her_ was a tall SOLDIER, Third Class.

The crackle of the fire was the loudest sound in the clearing for a very long moment. Something about the newcomer tugged on the corner of my mind, but I couldn't quite place it. He fidgeted under the weight of our combined stares, but it wasn't until he ducked his head in a painfully familiar gesture that realization dawned. "_What the hell happened_?" I demanded.

As her companion flinched, Aerith lifted her chin and looked me straight in the eye. "It's my fault," she said clearly and unwaveringly. "My Transform materia was mixed up with the rest, and I accidentally added it to my array the other day. I thought I only temporarily tweaked the spell, but it must've somehow become permanent."

Cid reached inside his jacket and produced a flask. Silently uncorking it, he poured a generous measure for both himself and Barret; they solemnly clinked their mugs, and then tossed back the shots. The big man shuddered briefly when the alcohol hit his system before looking the 'new man' up and down. "Guess we gotta come up with a new name fer ya," he rumbled. "Jus' in case yer stuck like this fer a while."

"Why? When Cloud was a girl, we didn't change his name!" Aerith objected, and then turned a sickly shade when she realized what she'd let slip.

Yuffie pounced. "Cloud was a _girl_? Really? When?" A slow grin spread across Cid's face while one of Vincent's eyebrows _might_ have raised a fraction of an inch; Nanaki froze in mid-scratch and carefully replaced his paw on the ground.

"Briefly," I growled, watching Aerith wilt.

"He and Aerith rescued me from a sticky situation in Midgar," Tifa abruptly spoke up, and everyone stared as she slid her arm around the mage's shoulders. Not because the gesture was blatantly protective, which it was, but because Tifa's voice was now a husky tenor. She straightened, squaring her armoured shoulders, and we all finally had a good look at her. Her bangs were spiky instead of smooth, her face was longer, her chin squared instead of pointed, and she had sprouted a pair of narrow sideburns.

Sweet Shiva, she even had an Adam's apple.

And she was at least half a foot taller than me.

Tifa's vivid eyes were the same – well, not exactly the same shape – but they were as expressive as always, and right now, she was wary. Ushering Aerith to a seat on the other side of the fire, she held a quiet discussion with Yuffie and soon a meal was being organized. I had a bad moment as she bent over her pack to retrieve a pot – her beautiful hair was _much_ shorter and the ends stuck out in all directions like she'd been caught in a windstorm. Even more disgruntled, I inspected the rest of her. She was long and lean, the snug uniform showing off a muscled physique that subtly conveyed her considerable strength - and she still had an _awesome_ ass.

The inescapable fact was that Tifa made an extremely handsome man.

_Damn_.

Cait sidled up beside me; I shot him an unfriendly look, but he wasn't put off. "How're we gonna fix the lassie?" he asked in a low voice.

"A mako spring and a couple of Restore materia," I curtly replied. "Know of any springs close by?"

"No," he answered, sounding genuinely upset.

"Don't pull the 'concerned' act with me," I snarled. "_You_ called in those reinforcements."

He honestly appeared taken aback by the accusation. "I _didn't_ - I _swear_ I didn't!"

Vincent came over to sit beside me and the cat scarpered, although I noticed that he was wringing his paws. "The choice of a SOLDIER uniform might not have been the best," the gunman observed. "Her lack of mako eyes is a problem."

Yuffie popped up from where she was passing Tifa various supplies. "I couldn't find anything else!" she protested. "I did my best!"

Tifa gently scruffed the teen's bangs. "You did just fine. Everything fits really well – even the boots."

"I heard that SOLDIERs hafta pass a test or somethin' afore they can even get inta the program," Barret rumbled.

"They do, unless you're recruited right into SOLDIER," I said, then admitted, "I failed the exam three times."

"When did you receive your first mako treatment, Cloud-san?"

My mind went blank, but Cait Sith filled in, "Not until after the Third Class laddies go through a battery of psychological tests."

"Assuming Cait is telling the truth, I'll just tell anyone who asks that I haven't done the tests yet," Tifa said, and started ladling out the food. After everyone was served, instead of taking her usual place at my side, she remained next to Aerith… and my hackles went up because the mage kept _touching_ her. Nothing big - just a hand on Tifa's arm, or a brief lean into her shoulder to exchange a few words, but it was often enough that I noticed.

"Your fangs are showing," Vincent murmured in amusement, and I barely resisted the urge to bare them at him.

Yuffie had collected the bowls when Barret, fortified by the contents of Cid's flask, brought up the name issue again. "The way I see it, 'Cloud' can be girly or manly; all depends on the person wearin' the name," he proclaimed, his words only slightly slurred. "Now, 'Tifa', on th' other han', is compl't'ly girly, an' it's gonna attract all kinds o' 'tention 'til we can get 'er fixed."

Tifa snorted. "You make it sound like I need a mechanic."

"Ya kno' what I mean, right?"

"I do. Let me think about it, okay?"

"_Awww_," Yuffie pouted. "I know some great boy's names! Wanna hear 'em?"

"Not right now," Tifa answered, grinning crookedly as she rose to her feet. "I'm going to find out what this body's capable of. Sorry for sticking you with the dishes."

Yuffie gave Tifa a speculative look. "Y'know, you look darn similar to another SOLDIER we once knew. Hey – why don't we call you... _ow_! What was _that_ for?" she demanded of Aerith while furiously rubbing her shin.

"Definitely _not_," the mage said tightly, pinning the teen with a deadly look, and Yuffie clammed up.

"I shall provide light for you, Tifa-san," Nanaki declared, his tail-flare twitching.

As the two disappeared into the shadows, Cid prodded Barret in the ribs. "Just wait 'til our 'young man' hasta take a leak!" he cackled. Barret burst out laughing, while Aerith and Yuffie were scandalized.

I stood up. "I'm gonna patrol."

"Gotcher PHS?"

I nodded curtly and stalked out of camp, deliberately choosing the opposite direction to Tifa and Nanaki. As soon as I was out of sight of the fire, I circled around so as to approach my targets from downwind. Nanaki probably wouldn't bust me anyways, but I didn't want to put that pressure on him.

The resident critters seemed to have left the area since Ifrit fried the vicinity, which was a good thing because I wasn't in the mood for petty annoyances. The urgency to keep moving east, further into the island's terrain, had also subsided but I didn't give a shit about that. The crunch of breaking wood off to my left lead me deeper into the forest until I came upon a fitfully lit glade. Hunkering down in the undergrowth, I waited for an opportunity to talk to Tifa.

Watching Tifa go through her moves was always a guilty pleasure – those long legs and that silky hair twisting and twirling as she threw rapid-fire punches and kicks were almost mesmerizing. There was no bare skin or short skirts for distraction this time; instead, I was awed by her raw power. She wasn't so much graceful as explosive; blows sent trees toppling and she caught amazing height in her vertical launches. I saw her stumble a few times on landings, when she was thrown off-balance in the air, but it appeared that she was adapting quickly.

"Well done, Tifa-san!" Nanaki cheered when she landed squarely after executing a killer Somersault.

Straightening, she rolled her shoulders. "It's a real rush, but really odd at the same time."

"Odd?"

"Like I'm a teenager all over again, learning how to fight in a body that doesn't respond quite the way I expect it." Sheepishly toeing her boot into the loam, Tifa added in that disconcertingly deep voice, "I feel really clumsy."

He cocked his head. "You certainly do not give that impression. I imagine that it will only take a matter of hours before you are comfortable in your new skin."

"I hope so." Extending her arm out in front of her, Tifa commented, "I think I gained about six inches of reach…."

"Hellooo?"

"Aerith-sama?" Nanaki was on his feet and heading into the darkness before he paused. "Will you be all right, Tifa-san?"

"It's only the dark. I've dealt with worse."

In the monetary pitch darkness, I watched Tifa put her back against the closest tree and fold her arms over her flat chest. When Nanaki returned with Aerith at his side, the flickering light of his tail-flare cast fantastical shadows across Tifa's altered features, and I did a double take. She eerily reminded me of someone else, but I couldn't quite put my finger on who.

Nanaki removed himself to the far side of the clearing, and I had to shift my position to make sure I remained undetected. When I found a new vantage point, my hackles went up hard and fast because Aerith was _way_ too close to Tifa. I know it sounds stupid, but Tifa is _mine_ – doesn't matter what gender she happens to be at that precise moment. When Aerith laid her hand on Tifa's crossed arms and moved closer yet, I made an angry noise deep in my throat. Nanaki glanced over his shoulder in my direction, but made no other move.

"I don't really look _that_ much like him... do I?" Tifa asked quietly.

Aerith smiled wistfully. "No... but out of the corner of my eye? Close enough that my heart jumps into my throat."

"I always think of him as... _bigger_, somehow. Really tall, with broad shoulders..."

"It's the pauldrons; you're close to the same height, though."

Tifa tapped a spot low on her left cheek. "No scar... or mako eyes,either."

"Thank goodness for that, or I'd be down for the count every few minutes."

"Sorry?"

"Not your fault."

"Not yours, either." When Aerith bowed her head, Tifa caught her hands. "I'm okay… really."

It took Aerith a long time to reply, and when she did, her voice was wispy and frail. "I had this premonition that he was in danger, so I called his PHS – it took _forever_ to connect and I was frantic by the time I got through. He told me it wasn't the best time, that he'd call back later. I said he didn't have to, because just hearing his voice was reassuring, but then he said he'd come visit me instead." She was silent for several moments before choking out, "His last words were, 'I'll see you – I promise'."

"Oh, Aerith," Tifa whispered, pulling the other woman close. I didn't know what or who the hell they were talking about, but I recognized the bone-deep, gut-wrenching sobs shaking Aerith's entire body. After a few moments, Tifa slid down to sitting at the base of the tree, arranging the mage in her lap. Resting her cheek against the crown of Aerith's head, she cuddled the weeping woman close, one hand gently smoothing up and down her back. I tried not to grumble, because Aerith obviously needed Tifa's support, but it was difficult to watch _my_ friend wrap herself around someone else.

It took a long time until the storm quieted; Aerith had obviously kept all this emotion pent up far longer than it was healthy. When she was reduced to shuddering hiccups, Nanaki stood up and padded across the clearing. Curling up next to the pair, he insinuated his massive head into Aerith's lap and vocalized this queer rumble that sounded an awful lot like a purr. Aerith buried her slender fingers in his mane and scratched until his one eye closed in bliss and the noise ramped up until the very air vibrated; I had trouble hearing her next words.

"I once told him I had twenty-three tiny wishes - I'll never forget the look on his face before he told me to write them all down, so he wouldn't forget."

"What did you wish for?" Tifa gently prompted while carefully wiping Aerith's cheeks with her gloved fingers.

"T-to spend more t-time with him."

A fresh bout of sobs kept everyone occupied for a while; in the bushes, I scratched my head. Neither Tifa nor Nanaki had asked any questions, so that meant they both knew who Aerith was talking about; I assumed it was her SOLDIER boyfriend. If I was right, it was painfully obvious that something tragic had happened to him, and Aerith's heart had been broken. But... how could Tifa possibly know what the guy looked like? I was frowning over this when Aerith smeared at her eyes and reached up, untying the pink ribbon holding back her hair.

"I need to show you something." I was just as surprised as the other two when a pale-green, white-swirled materia fell into her hand. "This is very special materia – but it isn't good for anything."

Nanaki cautiously sniffed the orb before flattening his ears and objecting, "That is an _extremely_ powerful object, Aerith-sama."

She cupped it between her palms. "My mother gave it to me as she lay dying; she told me to guard it well because the fate of the Planet could depend on it – and that was all."

"No pressure, huh?" Tifa muttered, tapping the materia with a careful fingertip. "Does anyone else know about it?"

"Cloud does... but I don't think he remembers, since he'd just fallen through the roof of the Sector Five church."

"Odd topic for a casual conversation."

"I think I was in shock - I commented on the number of materia he had."

Tifa lightly brushed Aerith's bangs away from her face. "'Shock' is an understatement. Shall we put this away?"

"Actually, I wanted to try changing you back with it."

Nanaki rapidly shook his head. "I would not recommend that, Aerith-sama. The materia is _far_ too important for such a trivial use." His eye widened as he realized what he had said, and he stammered, "F-forgive me, Tifa-san! I did not mean to imply that your current condition was unimportant!"

She tugged one of his braids. "No offense taken, Nanaki. I understood what you meant." Turning to Aerith, she closed the mage's fingers over the orb. "He's right. If this materia could save the Planet, then it shouldn't be used for a sex change. All we need to do is find a mako spring, and I'll be back to normal in no time."

Giving in, Aerith tucked the materia back into her hair and re-tied the ribbon to keep it in place. "All right," she sighed, smiling weakly, then added, "Thanks for letting me cry on your shoulder."

"No problem."

"Oh! Have you decided on a more 'manly' name?"

Tifa snorted. "I suppose I'll just go with 'T', as that seems easiest."

"'Mr. T'?" Aerith grinned.

"T-san?" Nanaki tried, then nodded. "That will work."

"Then it's settled... so long as I'm still 'Tifa' to my friends, because in _here_," she tapped her temple, "I'm very much a girl."

The other two nodded, and then Aerith climbed out of Tifa's lap. Offering Tifa a hand up, she said, "Hopefully it won't take long to retrieve the Keystone, and then we can look for a mako spring."

I slunk through the shadows as they picked their way between the bushes, my head spinning from all of the information I'd heard, while still hoping for a chance to corner Tifa. I was handed a golden opportunity when Tifa took her leave of the other two just on the edge of firelight to answer a 'call of nature'. Pushing through the undergrowth until she found a large tree that hid her from the fire, she unknowingly set herself up. She was biting her lip, no doubt contemplating how best to go about a very basic activity, when I pounced. Her fist came up automatically; I grabbed both it and a handful of her uniform.

I still had no idea of what I was going to say… so I acted instead.

Yanking her down to my level, I kissed her.

Maybe I wanted to remind her that _I_ had first claim on her after Aerith had been all touchy-feely – or maybe I wanted her to know that as far as _I_ was concerned, she was still my girl. I dunno; I didn't think about it very much. For her part, Tifa was so taken aback that she momentarily dropped her guard and I used the opening to pin her against the tree. Her free hand landed on my shoulder, and she first tensed as if she was going to push, but instead, she pulled me closer.

I now understood how comforting a hug must have felt to Tifa when _I_ was taller, but it felt _weird_ having the tables turned.

I also realized that I _absolutely_ preferred curves to angles.

Breaking the kiss, I whispered, "At least you still taste the same," which was the truth, and then tried to ease free of her grip. Tifa, however, had other ideas; she slid down the trunk until she could bury her face in my shoulder and tightened her arms. I'll admit to remaining kinda stiff for a couple of moments until I realized that despite her brave claims to the others that she was okay, the truth was very far from that.

She _needed_ me and I needed to get over myself.

I brought up my hand and gently cupped the back of her head. "We'll get through this," I murmured in her ear. "Leave it to me." She might have nodded, but it felt more like a shudder, so I pressed closer and stroked her side. That way I didn't encounter any of her uniform straps, which might have made me twitchy despite my best intentions; the metal pauldron pressing against my chin was bad enough.

Her eyelashes were spiky with damp when she finally pulled back far enough to look at me, but she was calm… or maybe 'resigned' would be a better term. I really hated seeing that darkness in her eyes, so I impulsively kissed her again. Things got hot and heavy really fast, but not before I noted the edge of desperation in the way she responded. I tried to take control and gentle the contact, but then all bets were off when I felt something _familiar _raising its head, so to speak, and it wasn't mine.

Breaking away, I stumbled backwards a few paces, and immediately felt like a bastard at the bereft expression on Tifa's face. "Sorry," I said contritely, then ran my hand over my hair, at a loss to explain my abrupt retreat – until Tifa tried to straighten up and almost immediately hunched over, her hands covering her crotch. I nearly snickered until I saw her panicked look; however, I couldn't resist commenting, "That's the _exact_ condition you leave me in quite regularly."

"Wh-what should I _do_?" she hissed, wincing.

"You might wanna straighten it out… take the pressure off," I suggested.

"B-but then I'd have to _t-touch_ it!"

I spread my hands in a helpless gesture. "You're gonna have to anyways, unless you wanna pee on your leg."

Her face drained of colour. She was _horrified_, to put it mildly, and I immediately became more sympathetic. When I was a girl, having to drop trou in order to relieve myself had been a pain in the ass more than anything else – ShinRa uniforms aren't designed to accommodate female anatomy, what with all those belts and straps - but I only had to put up with it for a day or two. Unless we got very lucky, very soon, Tifa might be like this for weeks.

Which, from a purely selfish standpoint, was seriously gonna cut into our snuggle-time.

Damn._ Again._

"Nothing for it," Tifa finally huffed, and shoved her hand down the front of her trousers. She immediately looked relieved and finally straightened up.

"Better wait a few minutes before you go back out there," I warned. "Can't disguise a hard-on in these uniforms… unless you can figure out a way to casually hold one of your pauldrons over your crotch."

She glanced down and made another face. "Thanks for the tip."

"No problem." I had half-turned away, before something else occurred to me. "You'll wake up semi-hard in the mornings; taking a leak usually fixes it."

It appeared that she was frozen in shock, until she ventured, "Is that what they call 'morning wood'?"

"Yep. Hey… _how_ do you know about it?" I demanded, since I was fairly sure she was unaware of mine.

Shrugging, she answered, "Johnny and those guys used to brag about stuff like that all the time during recess… where are you going?"

Of course _I_ wouldn't remember conversations like that, because I was usually in detention for fighting one of 'those guys'. I raised my hand in careless salute. "Supposed to be on patrol, so I'm gonna do that. Oh… and if I'm not back before you need to piss, ask Vincent for help. Barret and Cid'll tease you half to death."

"Great," she groused in a very un-Tifa-like tone. "So far, being 'one of the guys' has _sucked_."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

When I ambled into camp a couple of hours later, it was plainly obvious that something had happened because Nanaki, Aerith and Yuffie were defensively huddling around Tifa. The two girls were shooting daggers across the fire pit at Barret and Cid, who were howling with laughter, while Tifa was wearing an extra-stoic expression as she examined the ground between her boots. I looked to Vincent; he merely shrugged. Cait was sitting apart and didn't bother to glance up at my approach; if I didn't know better, I'd say he was depressed.

Cid wiped his streaming eyes with one hand while waving his cigarette with the other. "Now, as I was sayin', there's a fine art to shakin' the dew offa th' lilypad – it's all in th' wrist."

"Don't you think you've traumatized Tifa enough for one night?" Aerith demanded, with a glare that would've had a lesser man checking for scorch marks; Cid waved her off.

"Jus' tryin' to help, missy."

"I think we've all learned more than we ever needed – or wanted - about foreskins, among other things," Aerith replied tartly.

"Sounds like things have been lively," I commented, dropping down next to Nanaki.

Behind me, Tifa rose to her feet. "Pass me that flashlight, please." When Yuffie handed it over, she continued, "I'll take this watch. Who's next?" Vincent inclined his head; she tipped him a salute and disappeared into the dark without a backwards glance.

In the lull following her exit, Cid knocked back the contents of his mug, then yawned widely. "Time fer some shut-eye, if goddamn ShinRa is th' first fucking thing I gotta deal with."

"Be ready to stand watch after Vincent," I warned. "And lay off Tifa."

"No need t' be so fucking serious, boss. We was just havin' a bit o' fun." Turning to Barret, he boozily hiccupped, "You can make th' tea in th' morning."

That's when we _all_ realized that Cid – and probably Barret - were too drunk to stand watch. "Yuffie, you're up after Vincent," I quietly ordered; she wrinkled her nose, but nodded.

The two girls shooed me out of the way and began laying out their bedrolls. Seating myself on a log, I watched their preparations with only half my attention while wondering if I should go after Tifa. Because of that, it took me a few minutes to notice that they were including Tifa's bedding in their arrangements. I was about to protest when I realized Tifa's comfort level was more important, and if she was fine with it, then I'd better keep my mouth shut.

My discontent must have been noticeable, because Aerith reached over and patted my knee. When I petulantly shook her off, she rolled her eyes and tucked herself into her sleeping bag. Nanaki lay down next to her and Yuffie cuddled up to him; he looked quite content to be used as a pillow. Across the fire, Barret and Cid were already snoring with Vincent watching over them. When Barret hit a particularly obnoxious pitch, the gunslinger prodded him onto his side with a sharply-pointed sabaton; the firelight glinting on his armour reminded me of something.

"Hey, Vincent – why'd you collect the dog-tags?"

"I left them in the transport, which will eventually be recovered by ShinRa. That way their families will be notified, since there were no survivors."

"That's, uh, good of you."

"There are too many unidentified victims of ShinRa's excesses already; I do not wish to contribute to the total," he murmured, staring into the flames.

Sliding down to use the log as a back-rest, I tried to settle, but couldn't. The noise inside my head remained at a mercifully low pitch; I had enough things to chew over without worrying about how it would look to the others if I snuggled up to Tifa now that she had balls instead of boobs. Despite all that, I had managed a fitful doze when Nanaki lifted his chin.

"Tifa-san returns."

A few moments later, Tifa strode into view. Avoiding Cid's haphazardly-stacked lance, she stepped over Barret and offered her flashlight to Vincent. He shook his head, but then beckoned her closer. "This may be of help," he said; I heard a tinny clinking sound as he pressed something into her palm.

Holding the dog-tag up to the firelight, she squinted as she read out, "'T. Laurence, 3rd, Type B'."

"At least the initials match up," Vincent offered.

"And the blood type. Thank you," she replied, dropping the chain over her head and tucking the tag inside her sweater.

Catching my eye, Vincent added, "I left a note with the others," before vanishing into the shadows with a _fwip_ of his cloak; creepy as hell when he does that.

Tifa gave me a sideways glance as she unzipped her bedroll. "What was that all about?"

"He put the rest of the dog-tags where ShinRa will find them. Doesn't want the families to be left in limbo."

"Ah. That was thoughtful of him."

"I thought so, too." Shifting to face her more fully, I waited expectantly - for what, I wasn't sure.

"Do you want something?" she inquired lightly enough, but her tone and body language was defensive.

I frowned; did she think I wanted a goodnight kiss? After what I'd pulled earlier, it was reasonable to assume I might be up to something. On the other hand, no one was watching and it was part of our routine. I slowly reached for her; she didn't try to avoid my hand as I slid it around her nape, although she remained tense. Gently tugging her closer, I pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "Sleep well."

As I released her, her shoulders relaxed. "Thanks," she rasped, "You, too." I lightly stroked her cheek with the back of my fingers and was rewarded with a tired smile. Rolling into her bedding, she put her back to me and gave every appearance of falling instantly asleep.

I watched over her for a while, noting that the high collar of the uniform sweater covered up the hickey I'd given her, then wondered if it was still there. Racking my brain, I tried to place who she reminded me of, but gave up when my head started to pound something fierce. Slouching back against the log, I had a feeling that it was going to be a long night.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Here, boss." A pungent whiff of cigarette smoke, accompanied by the sharp scent of _very_ strong tea, woke me up faster than a bucket of cold water. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I sat upright; Cid nudged a steaming mug into my hand. Glancing around, I noted that Tifa's bedroll was already neatly packed; I must've slept deeper than I thought if I didn't notice her departure.

Aerith yawned and stretched, then gave Nanaki a hug. He rumbled something, and she reached over top of him to help shift Yuffie's head off his flank so he could stand up. The teenager muttered a protest, but Aerith tucked her bedding closer and she dropped back off to sleep. Catching my eye, the mage murmured, "A few more minutes won't hurt – today could be very difficult."

Taking a cautious sip of the mug's contents, I grimaced at the sensation of my teeth being stripped, then asked, "Where's Tifa?"

Barret and Cid exchanged glances before the pilot answered, "Come t' think of it, she _has_ been gone fer a while. Think she got somethin' stuck in her fly buttons?" Then they both giggled like twelve-year-olds.

Shaking my head at their antics, something tickled under my chin; brushing at it, a long fibre caught on my glove. Holding it up, I recognized the dark strand of hair. As I shook my hand free of the evidence, I felt rather smug that her sub-conscious had sought me out for comfort. That would explain why _I_ slept so deeply, if Tifa was snuggled on my shoulder – and why she'd bailed as soon as she woke up. No need to give the peanut gallery more ammunition.

At that moment, Tifa arrived in the clearing. She was shirtless and water-dappled, her gear carried self-consciously in front of her bare chest. In response to our startled looks, she briskly announced, "Disposed of a Kelzmelzer and found a stream where we can refill our canteens," before Aerith threw her a towel. Watching out of the corner of my eye as she flexed and twisted to catch all the drips, I couldn't help admiring Tifa's new body. Her pecs and abs were defined sharply enough to cut glass, her shoulders and biceps impressively muscled; if I went 'green' and she had to clobber me, I'd have broken bones for sure.

Aerith offered to brush Tifa's wet hair; after a quick glance in my direction that I chose to interpret as wishful, Tifa nodded and sat down on the other end of my log. In the process of combing through the dark strands, Aerith noticed something on the back of Tifa's neck and made a comment. Frowning, Tifa covered the spot with her hand while shaking her head; then they both looked at me. I smirked, but then a very unwelcome thought crossed my mind and I found myself gripping my mug tightly enough to crease the metal. Forcing myself to relax, I tried to be objective... but dammit, I _liked_ being Tifa's protector, and the idea that she might not need – or possibly _want_ – my help was highly disturbing. Plus, the fact that the mage was already cadging more than her fair share of Tifa's smiles this morning was hella annoying.

Unlike when I was thirteen and could thump that punk Johnny if he got too close to Tifa, I couldn't very well beat up Aerith.

"My goodness! What's this all about?" Slender fingers were abruptly prying at my fist; I blinked down at the crushed metallic mass, belatedly noticing that my glove was soaking wet. "Cloud? Are you... feeling all right?" Aerith's green eyes were bright with concern.

"I'm fine," I muttered, pitching the crumpled mug over my shoulder into the undergrowth. "Let's get moving."

"Not until after we've eaten," she gently pointed out, and I sullenly subsided. While Tifa directed the breakfast preparations – some things didn't change, thank Shiva - I exchanged my tea-drenched glove for a dry one and started honing my blade to keep myself occupied.

"Why d'ye do it?"

I gave Cait a narrow look. "Do what?"

He bravely edged closer. "Risk yer life on a thankless quest?"

Shrugging, I carelessly replied, "Got some scores to settle."

"That's it?"

Since he seemed honestly curious, I thought about it before I answered, "ShinRa needs to be held accountable for their actions, and that's what I plan to do. Why do you want to know?"

Pushing his crown back on his head, Cait slowly replied, "Seein' the dangers and the risks that ye put up with on a daily basis – all without praise or payment – makes me think about what I'm doin' with my life."

"Don't go fryin' your circuits by thinking _too_ hard," I retorted.

"Izzit morning already?" Yuffie muzzily queried, rearing up to sitting, her hair sticking up at the back like a Chocobo's tail.

"Want some tea, kid?" Cid cheerily asked.

"Only if _you_ didn't make it - I need to be alert, not _vibrating_," she yawned.

Cait used the interruption to withdraw from the conversation, although I noticed that he seemed to be thinking things over. If he really was Reeve Tuesti's creation, then we were possibly in line to gain an ally within ShinRa, and that would be a _huge_ help to staying one step ahead of them; temporarily giving up the Keystone would be worth that.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"It doesn't look _anything_ like what I imagined," Aerith murmured as we crossed the swaying footbridge leading to the temple compound's main gate. I didn't reply, because I was concentrating on my footing as well as stewing over the fact that she and Tifa had been holding hands all morning. When we weren't fighting our way through Dual Horns and Under Lizards, that is; otherwise, they were practically glued together. Tifa couldn't very well hold hands with me – well, we _could_, but aside from other things, I had a suspicion _I_ might feel strange at not having the 'dominant' hand because I was shorter – so it made sense that she turned to Aerith for physical reassurance. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.

Yes, I was being childish. Shut up.

"Is this really the right place?" Yuffie asked in a hushed voice, balancing herself with a hand resting on Nanaki's rump, while just in front of her, Cait Sith gazed in awe up at the towering structure.

"I can hear... a voice? No, more like a feeling," Aerith said, frowning as she tilted her head. "You're happy that I'm here? But you're also uneasy? Why?"

"Voices in your head are never a good sign," I peevishly commented and Tifa shot me a sharp look.

"I smell blood," Nanaki announced, his nostrils flaring.

"Come on!" Aerith practically dragged Tifa towards the open gate.

"On your guard," I muttered to the rest, but they had already primed their weapons. My scalp was prickling and there was an irritating buzz in my ears. "Things are probably gonna get real ugly, real fast."

That turned out to be an understatement of _colossal_ proportions.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Having your jaw broken is a _helluva_ way to wake up.

Dazed from a brain-scrambling blow, I let out a panicked yelp when I saw a leather-covered fist driving at my face. Twisting my head, I managed to spare my nose another hit, but I took one to the chin instead. 'Excruciating' doesn't even _begin_ to cover the exploding agony as the bone cracked; I almost passed out on the spot. What the _hell_?

"Stop! Yer gonna kill 'im!"

As Barret fended off my attacker, my vision cleared and I nearly choked on the blood trickling down my throat.

It was _Tifa_ turning my face to jelly.

I stared in confusion at my best friend, the crushing ache in my jaw momentarily forgotten. She looked _devastated_. I tried to say something, but what came out instead was a wet gurgle. Appearing close to tears, she abruptly let go of my sweater and dashed back to where the rest of our team was hovering over... Aerith?

_What_ the hell was going on?

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, I squinted against the pain and saw Tifa drop to her knees, tenderly taking Aerith's face in her glowing hands. The mage had been thoroughly battered by someone or something... _shit_. Frantically searching my memories of the last few minutes, I vaguely remembered skidding down into the crater and picking up the Black Materia, which now doubled as Cait Sith's tomb. A sickening suspicion was winding around my guts when Barret abruptly grabbed me by the scruff of my neck. Dragging me up until we were nose-to-broken nose, he glared furiously at me for several long moments before making a disgusted noise. Giving me a hard shake that made my loosened teeth rattle, he dropped me on my ass, but I barely noticed.

The livid marks on Aerith's pretty face rapidly disappeared under Tifa's gentle touch, but I would see them in my nightmares for years to come. Bile rising in the back of my throat, I tried to move towards them, but a whack from the butt end of Cid's lance sent me sprawling across Barret's boots. The pilot shot me a warning look, and I decided to stay where I was. Tugging on Barret's trouser leg, I pointed at Aerith with one hand while holding my face together with the other, then tried to not obviously cringe away from his fearsome expression just before he roared, "Ya gave Sephiroth the Black Materia an' then beat down th' missy, ya fool!"

My jaw would've dropped if it could.

_I _gave Sephiroth the Black Materia? I was so stunned by _that_ my brain almost didn't process the second half of his sentence - _I_ attacked Aerith? Me? My shock was obvious, because Barret softened his tone the tiniest bit. "Yeah, ya did – Tifa had to bust ya up real good t' make ya stop."

"It's all my fault." Tifa slumped, her posture utterly defeated. "I thought I could stop him before anyone got hurt." She ground her fists against her forehead. "I knew... and I didn't warn anybody." Bowing deeply to Aerith, Tifa choked out, "I'm so, _so_ sorry."

The mage wrapped her arms around Tifa. "Don't take the blame on yourself - we know that Cloud has issues."

"But... I _knew_ that if Sephiroth showed up, Cloud would lose control." Tifa swallowed hard. "I-I've known for a long time – since the Cargo Ship – that this would happen." Drooping further, she added, "We call it 'going green' because of the change in his eye colour."

"The fool kinda lost it during th' Reactor One mission, too," Barret remarked. "Don' remember no funny eyes, tho'."

My stomach had twisted up into what I suspected was a permanent knot when Nanaki left Aerith's side and approached. Peering closely at my bloodied face, he called over his shoulder, "In order for us to hear Cloud-san's side of the story, he must be healed."

Aerith stood with assistance from Vincent; squeezing Tifa's shoulder on the way past, she knelt in front of me. Critically inspecting my injuries, she asked, "Isn't there any _other_ way to bring Cloud back to his senses?"

"There is, but this wasn't the best time to try it," Tifa replied dully, and no one pushed the issue.

"Yuffie, please find a cloth and dampen it with water," Aerith directed as green energy coated her hands. It took several passes before the pain entirely disappeared as the bone and cartilage knit themselves back together. I kept my eyes closed, afraid of what I would see in Aerith's expression, until she applied a wet cloth to my skin and the cold startled me. As she gently dabbed away the blood, her cool fingers tilting up my chin, her gaze was thoughtful and held a trace of... pity?

As soon as I could talk, I flatly stated, "It's my responsibility. I asked Tifa to not say anything."

"Why?" demanded Barret, treating Tifa to a hairy eyeball.

"I didn't want to be known as the 'crazy guy'," I reluctantly admitted while bristling over the way he was glaring at her.

"So now yer jus' a damn jackass," Barret snorted. "Look, fool, ya got problems – hell, we all do. Ya gotta decide whether yer gonna face up to 'em like a man or sit around moanin' about 'em. What's it gonna be?" He gave me a considering look. "If ya go nuts agin when ya see Sephiroth, I'll smack ya upside yer spiky head an' knock some sense inta ya."

"I'll give ya a whack," Cid offered, exhaling a smoke ring, while Vincent gave the impression that he was debating which end of his gun would be most effective.

"Me, too!" Yuffie chimed in, a tad _too_ eagerly for my taste.

I cautiously glanced around the faces of my team. There was no open hostility; in fact, at least a couple of them appeared – relieved? Huh? Tifa sat apart, silent and miserable; I could almost see her shoulders bowing under the weight of responsibility – for _my_ lapse. Then she met my anxious gaze and the despair and guilt darkening her expression made my heart drop like a stone.

Aerith lightly touched my cheek, bringing my reluctant attention back to her. Smiling softly, she murmured, "Everything will be all right, Cloud. You're not alone."

Bowing my head, I mumbled, "I'm _really_ sorry." The words seemed so inadequate for what I'd done, but it was the best I could do. She nodded, still smiling, and patted my hand before rising to her feet and returning to Tifa. I'm not sure what she said, but Tifa managed a tight smile and accepted a lingering hug once Aerith had pulled her upright. As Barret offered me his massive hand, Aerith escorted Tifa towards us. Once I was on my feet, after he nearly sent me flying with a hearty clap on the back, Aerith caught hold of both our hands.

"I don't blame _either_ of you, so please - don't beat yourselves up over this," she insisted, looking at in turn at both Tifa and myself .

"Don' worry… we'll keep 'em in line," Barret rumbled. "Now, what're we gonna do about gettin' back the Black Materia an' stoppin' Sephiroth from summonin' Meteor?"

Aerith stepped away from us. Smoothing her skirt, she briskly announced, "That's my job."

"_What_?" I'm glad I wasn't the only one who said it; Barret's incredulous expression would've been funny under other circumstances.

"I'm the only one who can stop Sephiroth." When we all just stared, Aerith sighed gustily. "As the last Cetra, this is _my_ resposibility. You heard Sephiroth – he intends to injure the Planet with Meteor so he can access the energy of the Lifestream and become a god-like being."

"A human ShinRa reactor," Cid commented, lighting another cigarette.

Vincent mused, "Completing the destruction begun by Jenova all those centuries ago."

"How are you going to stop him?" I asked Aerith.

She pursed her lips. "The Planet will tell me what to do when I get there."

"Where?"

"If Sephiroth really has 'travelled the Lifestream', then he probably already knows what the Planet told me, but I can't risk telling _you_ just in case he doesn't – and can access your thoughts."

While I contemplated _that_ unwelcome idea, Tifa protested, "You're _not_ going alone!"

"If Cloud is being controlled by Sephiroth, then I'm definitely not safe around him," she calmly pointed out.

Cid stubbed out his cigarette and tucked it behind his ear. "I'll take ya where ya need to go," he said, "an' then come back fer these numbskulls."

"I shall accompany you," Nanaki declared.

Vincent moved to stand at Aerith's side. "I am at your service as well."

Tifa also took a step forward, but the mage shook her head. "Cloud needs you," she gently remonstrated. Tifa blinked, and then glanced apologetically at me; I shrugged, because I understood the impulse to protect.

"Awright, let's get this fucking show on the road," Cid said, and within half an hour, the Tiny Bronco churned away from the beach.

Barret shaded his eyes, watching until the crippled airship disappeared around a distant headland. "Step lively," he grunted, gesturing us forward. "Looks like we're headin' north."

Yuffie instantly bounced into the lead, whirling her shuriken. "I'll take point!" she gaily called, practically skipping over the rocks. Barret rolled his eyes for our benefit as he followed, with Tifa close on his heels. She stopped and turned, waiting silently for me to catch up; slipping my hand into hers, I squeezed and she returned the pressure, but she didn't smile. I'd intended to stay by her side, but within ten feet it was obvious that matching her now-longer stride was impossible, so I gave her a friendly shoulder-bump before falling back to cover the rear.

For just a moment, I thought I saw my sword on her back in place of her knapsack, but a blistering headache immediately erupted when I tried to recall where I'd seen that image before. Was Sephiroth trying to keep me from remembering something?

After what had happened today, I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the truth.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

**A/N:** Don't worry; I haven't forgotten about Cait Sith 2.0. Unfortunately.


	11. Snake Eyes

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly hornswoggled.

**A/N:**The World Map of the Planet shows a long finger of land jutting out of the north coast of the island where the Temple of the Ancients was located, running roughly parallel to the shoreline of a deep indent in the Eastern Continent. The first scene is located here.

**Warnings:**Coarse language, violence, nudity.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune 13/TamLin and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Eleven: Snake Eyes**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Sephiroth's heading north, too."

Barret swallowed a mouthful of lunch before demanding, "Howdya know?"

"My Sephi-radar says so," Cloud hesitantly admitted.

"How's that work, anyways?" Yuffie asked between bites.

Cloud frowned into his bowl. "It's like... a 'pull', I guess. I had the same feeling before, and it led straight towards the Temple of the Ancients."

"Call the others," Tifa instantly directed. While Cloud patted his pockets for his PHS, she muttered, "Darn it! We shouldn't have allowed them to go on ahead!"

"Too bad we don' have th' Buggy," Barret commented, picking his teeth.

"We should've had Cid drop us back at Gongaga to pick it up," Tifa groused. "We'd be halfway to Costa del Sol by now."

"After that, we might've had time to stop at the mako spring where we killed the Zolom," Cloud piped up.

"What for?"

Cloud ignored Yuffie while giving Tifa a steady look; she thought about it, then shook her head. "That's not important right now."

"It is to _me_," he grumbled, and she flashed him a faint smile. At that moment, Cid picked up; apparently the other half of the team had experienced some difficulties, judging by the excessive profanity flooding out of the receiver. Cloud winced and walked off a short distance to spare them the worst.

Yuffie licked her spoon and reached over to sharply rap Tifa's pauldron with it. "What's the deal with the mako spring?"

"Aerith's altered Transform spell was _really_ powerful. In order to change Cloud back, we had to be submerged in mako-charged water to amplify the effect of the Restore materia."

"Wow. _That's_ not going to be easy to find."

"Could be worse – I might've been stuck as a frog."

Yuffie nodded vigorously in agreement, then sat up straight, excitedly waving her spoon. "Hey... doesn't a Maiden's Kiss counteract Transform?"

"Usually," Tifa cautiously replied.

The teenager put down her bowl and scrambled through their packs. "We picked up a couple in Nibelheim, remember?" Producing the odd-looking Item, she handed it to Tifa. "Always reminds me of a shrunken head..."

"_Eeyew_. Thanks for that," Tifa shuddered. She noticed that Cloud was watching the proceedings with intense interest despite the still-spewing PHS held to his ear and smiled a little. _I'll bet he wants this to work even more than I do! _However, the counter-active abilities of the Item didn't even lengthen one strand of her hair. Sighing, she handed the Maiden's Kiss back to Yuffie, who eyed it with a jaundiced expression before stuffing it into her knapsack. "It was worth a try, but considering that Aerith thinks the Transform materia itself has been fundamentally altered, it was a long shot at best."

"Cid says we have to reach the north side of Junon as quickly as possible. They're waiting until dark to cross the mouth of the bay to avoid Shinra air and sea patrols, and it'll really slow us up if he has to do the same thing in reverse in order to pick us up south of the city." Cloud retrieved his food and began inhaling it. "We gotta get our asses movin'," he directed around a mouthful.

"Gonna be tricky findin' a way across _this_," Barret commented, gesturing to the broad stretch of water between their beachside lunch spot and the mainland.

"There's gotta be a fishing village along here somewhere," Cloud said confidently. "We'll pay someone to ferry us across."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"How long ya been in SOLDIER, son?"

"Uh, er... me? Not very long, sir."

"I can tell - ya still got yer manners."

Tifa blinked rapidly and decided it was safer to not answer that, since Cloud _had_ been rather peremptory towards the man. _I'm having enough trouble not contradicting myself as it is!_ She glanced towards the prow, wishing again that she'd chosen to sit with Cloud instead of in the stern with the garrulous fisherman and his grandson, who was staring at her with the most adoring doe-eyes she'd seen since Marlene had first met Aerith. Barret caught her desperate look and nodded encouragingly, and she gathered her scattering wits. "I'm sorry, sir, if you've been offended by other members of the organization," she said politely. "We should be setting the standard, not lowering it."

He chuckled heartily and tugged the brim of his cap before prodding the boy's shoulder. "Ya hear that, Rafe? That's a _real_ officer an' a gentleman."

The child nodded eagerly and Tifa experienced another guilty twinge as she spun another filament of lies. "I'm only a Third Class, sir – not an officer."

The fisherman narrowed his eyes thoughtfully; she was starting to twitch when he asked, "Why'd _you _join SOLDIER, son?"

She promptly answered, "Because I wanted to protect the people I cared about," and then blushed. _Well, it's true – just insert AVALANCHE instead of SOLDIER! _Then she felt mildly uncomfortable with the idea that members of ShinRa's military might have joined the military-industrial behemoth for the same reason before her gaze wandered back to Cloud. _Then there's other people, who join to impress a girl..._

"Good on ya, son. Jus' don' forget the reason why ya signed up."

"Er - yes, sir. Uh, I mean, no, I won't." Tifa stifled a sigh of relief at the apparent end of the conversation – until the little boy edged closer.

"Where's your sword?" he asked breathlessly.

_Help!_ "Um... I, er, haven't earned it yet," she hastily fibbed. "I haven't done enough training."

He appeared crestfallen. "What do you fight with, then?"

She offered her hands, curling them into fists. "These."

"Wow - you must be pretty good!"

"I guess," she sheepishly said, rubbing her ear.

"Will your sword look like _his_?" the boy asked, pointing to the massive weapon slung over Cloud's back.

"Er, I don't think so. He's a First Class – notice the different uniforms?"

"Oooh, so First Class SOLDIERs can choose their _own_ swords?"

"Um..."

"Then _I_ wanna be a First Class!" he proclaimed.

"Whoa there, Rafe - ya gotta earn yer commission. Right?"

"Definitely – and before you can even join SOLDIER, you have to pass a test, too." _Thank goodness for that conversation last night!_

"Why aren't your eyes mako-blue like his?"

_Thank you, Cait Sith!_ "I have to pass another test first."

"There sure are a lot of tests," the boy grumbled.

"If you study hard in school right now, you won't have anything to worry about," Tifa said, aware that Yuffie was desperately trying to muffle her laughter in Barret's shoulder and failing badly, until the big man growled a pithy warning.

"Well, now, Rafe – guess you'd better rethink yer idea o' quittin' school an' livin' in yer treehouse," the man grinned.

"I suppose..." The child heaved a great sigh, but then perked up. "Having my own sword'll be _so cool_!"

"Carrying a weapon and having the power of a SOLDIER are great responsibilities," Tifa warned, acutely aware that Cloud was listening. "You have to be ready to face the consequences of your actions."

"Sounds like you might wanna wait 'til yer all growed up, Rafe."

"It might be better if you're a fisherman," Tifa suggested. "They risk their lives every day, in all weathers, to make sure that people have enough food to eat – that's a _real_ hero."

The little boy appeared surprised by the idea, but his grandfather gave her a broad wink as he again tugged on his cap. "Here we are... watch yer footin'."

Cloud was on the dock before the boat came fully alongside. "C'mon, Laurence – step lively!" he bellowed in a fairly decent approximation of what she imagined a drill sergeant would sound like. _I'm __so__ glad that Barret suggested that Cloud and I pretend to be part of a military unit – although I'm __petrified__ that I'll screw up when it really counts._

"Er, yessir." Tifa scruffed the little boy's hair and bobbed her head to the old man before scrambling out of the boat.

He fixed her with a solemn look. "Don' ferget who ya are, an' why ya joined up, son."

She executed her best salute and jogged after Cloud, while Barret paused long enough to toss the man a bag of gil. "Thanks fer the ride; much appreciated."

Easily fielding the coins, the fisherman tucked the bag into his vest. "Where'd you folks say you was headed?"

"Junon."

"Watch yerselves, cos the Zemzelett's are matin' now and they're right tetchy."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I almost feel bad for those Capparwires," Yuffie commented, cleaning bloody feathers off her shuriken as she watched Tifa and Cloud lay waste to yet another pair of the sparking creatures.

"Good practice fer Tifa," Barret grunted, snapping shut the ammunition chamber of his gun-arm.

"Does she really need it?" the teen sceptically asked as a powerfully-executed Meteodrive created a small crater when a Capparwire exploded.

"We're gonna be fightin' Sephiroth soon enough, an' she's gotta be the top o' her game."

"I guess... but why does Cloud keep calling her 'Laurence' all the time? It's getting on my nerves!"

"Prob'ly cos 'Tifa' is sweet an' curvy, while 'Laurence' ain't. Plus, it helps keep 'er in character."

Yuffie pursed her lips. "You don't seem to be all that bothered by Tifa's gender-change... or by Sephi-Cloud, for that matter."

"Hell, knew Spiky was gonna be trouble right from the get-go," the big man declared. "As fer Tifa – well, I don' mind what happened, cuz it'll keep Spiky outta her panties."

"Don't you mean 'boxers'?"

He lightly bonked her on the head with his gun-arm while she giggled. "Don' go there, kid," he gruffly warned.

"_Wark_?"

Still cackling, Yuffied gently biffed away the questing beak of the large yellow Chocobo. "Oi! You're a pesky one!" The Chocobo made another hopeful sound; she fed it a small handful of greens and scratched the tuft of feathers on its forehead. The two other Chocobo crowded in, intent on cadging their share of both food and attention.

Several dozen feet away, Cloud grumbled, "Your victory pose has lost some of its appeal."

Tifa glanced at him, startled, as she relaxed her stance. "What?"

"Never mind."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"We made good time today, thanks t' those Chocobo," Barret said with some satisfaction, savouring a steaming cup of tea. "If'n we can catch some more t'morra, we'll be well north o' Junon by th' afternoon."

"Will Vincent and Nanaki be enough if Sephiroth finds Aerith before we reach them?" Tifa worried out loud, poking the balky fire.

"Between Vincent's sharpshooting, Nanaki's fire attacks and Aerith's healing magic, they should be able to hold him off indefinitely," Cloud declared, pretending he wasn't watching Tifa's muscled behind, nicely showcased in the uniform trousers.

"I sure hope so," she fretted, concern deepening her voice even further. Yuffie noticed Cloud's ogling and aimed a small stone at his head; he snatched the missile out of mid-air and tossed it back. Tifa remained oblivious as she commented to the teen, "Is your motion sickness better? You were okay riding on the Chocobo today."

"That's because I was riding with _you_," Yuffie grinned, knowing full well that the distribution of mounts rankled mightily with Cloud despite Tifa's exterior masculinity. "Not being stuck inside that stinky Buggy helped, too."

"That's good to know."

The teen bounced upright, stretched, and announced, "I'm gonna take a look around."

"Don't get into any battles that you can't win on your own," Cloud warned.

Yuffie stuck out her tongue. "Tifa'll rescue me." Cloud had barely settled into a decent glower before she was back. "Guess what I found! A really good swimming hole!"

"After the past couple of days, a dip will be perfect!" Tifa was in the process of digging through her knapsack when she sat back. "_Darn_."

"What?" Yuffie looked up from gathering her bathing gear; in answer, Tifa held up the skimpy bikini and gestured to her male physique. Rolling her eyes, the teen insisted, "I doubt you have anything I haven't seen already while skinny-dipping with my cousins... besides, you're a _girl_, so far as I'm concerned."

"You sure?"

"Yes... however, _you_ two stay put," Yuffie commanded before whisking Tifa off into the forest.

"Where d'ya think _yer_ goin', Spiky?" Barret challenged, when Cloud stood up after losing an internal battle that had lasted all of five minutes.

"I don't like this."

"'Laurence' can handle anything short o' Sephiroth hisself... and even then, my money's on her." As Cloud flinched, Barret casually pointed his gun-arm at his balky companion. "Sit down, Spiky, an' drink yer tea."

"That's Cid's line," he growled, but obeyed – although his eyes kept flicking in the direction the girls had taken, especially when various squeals and loud splashes were heard.

They sat in silence for close to fifteen more minutes, before Barret commented, "I kinda miss the damn cat. At least he was amusin'."

"Didn't care much for his crappy fortunes."

Something in Cloud's tone made Barret inspect him more closely. "Did he give ya one?"

"Even stupider than the first," Cloud muttered, viciously jabbing the fire.

"_Two_ fortunes, huh? What'd the cat say?"

"That I would lose something dear to me, and the second..."

"Back already, kid?"

"Tifa forgot her brush," Yuffie breezily explained, vigorously rubbing her wet hair with a towel. She'd no sooner located the grooming implement when Cloud extracted it from her hand. "Hey!"

"I need to talk to her," he said with steely conviction, and Yuffie fell back a step, then gave him a dirty look.

"Don't blame me if you get another busted nose."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_What's taking Yuffie so long?_ Left to her own devices for the first time in days, Tifa examined her much larger hands while steadfastly ignoring the other changes to her anatomy, which were either gently bobbing against her thigh or trying to escape the river's chill by retreating closer to her body. _It really __could__ have been much worse, so I'm not going to complain. There are some advantages – I'm a lot stronger – and the disadvantages are more like inconveniences. _

_If I keep telling myself that, maybe I'll start to believe it._

"Tifa."

She whipped around in the water, dropping into a stance, then relaxed. "Cloud! What're you...?" When he held up the brush by way of explanation, she slicked back her wet hair and scowled. "Yuffie was supposed to bring that... what do you think you're doing?"

"What's the big deal? We're both guys." Dropping the brush onto her pile of clothing, he seated himself on a rock and started unzipping his boots

Sinking up to her chin in the water, Tifa thought for a moment before carefully replying, "I think you used that reasoning once before – back in Midgar, when we were both _girls_." When Cloud didn't answer, she exhaled heavily. "What do you want, and why can't it wait until we're both dressed?"

"It could, but I need to be with you before my head explodes." Dumping his gear next to hers, Cloud tentatively stuck his foot into the river – and just as quickly yanked it back out. "_Shiva!_ That's cold!"

She couldn't help smirking. "Oh, c'mon; it's downright _steamy_ in comparison to that mako spring. Oh, by the way, watch out for the..."

"_Whoa!_"

"Drop-off," she finished, chuckling as Cloud spluttered his way upright.

"Very funny," he grumbled, spitting out about a gallon of river while treading water. "Hey – are you standing on the bottom?"

"Yes. Too deep for you?"

"Shaddup."

Snickering, Tifa beckoned him closer. "C'mere. There's a rock you can sit on." As he swam towards her, she moved aside, ready to help if he somehow missed the flat-topped boulder that Yuffie had been using as a diving pad.

However, Cloud located the perch without any trouble, then tried to pull her to a seat next to him. When she resisted, he fixed her with green-rimmed, bright blue eyes, the pupils appearing disconcertingly vertical in the millisecond after he blinked. "_Please_."

_Crap. The snake-eyes are new!_ Tifa bit her lip, surveying the situation. Recalling his uncomfortable body language during their hug of the previous night, inspiration struck. "How about we sit back-to-back? That way we're touching... but not. Know what I mean?"

"Sure." He didn't sound all that happy, but she went ahead and seated herself on the rock behind him, then inched backwards until she made contact. Bending her knees, she rested her elbows on them; a second or two later, Cloud exhaled heavily and leaned back against her. "Where are your earrings?" he asked, out of the blue.

Her hands automatically flew up to touch her bare lobes and she had a mild heart attack, until she remembered. "Safely packed away."

"They were your mother's, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"I wish _I _had something of my mother's." The sadness in his voice was palpable; she reached back and patted his arm.

"I always remember her wedding ring, because it was so unusual," she commented.

"The wolf's head was a play on my dad's first name." He stiffened a little at her nervous chuckle. "What?"

"I always thought it was a mouse," she confessed.

"A mouse? Like, as if a _guy_ would pick something little and easily squished!"

"I thought it was _cute_."

Cloud dryly commented, "I'm _really_ glad Dad never found out that you thought his wolf was a _vermin_."

"What was your father's name, anyways? I don't think I ever heard it."

"Lowell Strife." After a few moments of listening to the river and the wind in the trees overhead, Cloud said, "Cait Sith gave me another one of his fortunes."

"Was it any better than the first one?"

"Depends. Said Aerith and I were perfect for each other – that our stars showed a great future."

Tifa went very still, then snorted in amusement. "Well, _of course_ she is."

"Huh?"

"_Think_ about it," Tifa grinned. "She's the only eligible girl on the team – excluding teenage ninjas – because I'm not exactly feminine right now. Maybe there was some truth after all in the furry little jerk's predictions?"

"He was also right about the first one." Cloud shifted uncomfortably; Tifa wished she could see his face. "I _have_ lost something precious – my team's trust."

Tifa groped underwater, found his hand and squeezed it. "_Sephiroth_ made you attack Aerith. We all understand that."

"He can force me into doing whatever he wants – next time, it might be _you_."

"Unlike Aerith, I can defend myself," she pointed out, then threw caution into the river's currents and turned around. Wrapping her arm around Cloud's shoulders, Tifa tugged him into a loose embrace.

He remained rigid, not leaning into her in the slightest, and she was about to back off when he muttered, "Sure you want to hug a monster?"

Tifa froze, then grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her, relieved to note that his eyes were back to normal. "_Stop it_," she snapped, her voice low and angry. "_You're_ not a monster – Sephiroth is."

"He's inside my head – inside _me_. He's planning to stop Aerith from interfering with his plans, and now that we know he can physically control me..."

"We won't be taken off guard again. You might be the strongest out of all of us, but I proved that I can take you down." Tifa softened her stern tone. "Um, sorry for hitting you so hard. Again."

"You did what you had to do," Cloud said tightly; Tifa yanked him close enough that she could press her nose into his wet hair.

"What happened to Aerith is my fault, too," she said quietly before releasing him. "I could've warned the others, but I chose not to."

"Because _I_ asked you to keep quiet."

She bumped his shoulder. "We're in this together, Cloud – equally responsible."

"Some 'knight in shining armour'," he mumbled. "_Owww!_"

While he rubbed the spot where she'd smacked him upside the head, Tifa calmly said, "I still believe in you, freaky green eyes, voices in your head and all. Never forget that."

"Why?"

"Because I _know_ that you would never _choose_ to be a monster."

It was his turn to awkwardly wrap his arm around her. "Thanks."

Resting her cheek against his hair, Tifa murmured, "No problem." They sat in silence for a little while longer, listening to the soothing sounds of the river and nature in general, until she said conversationally, "I don't know about you, but my balls are about to freeze off."

"Yeah... I was about to mention that."

When Cloud loosened his grip, Tifa slid off the rock and headed for the bank. She had hoisted herself half-way out of the water when common sense warned; shooting a glare over her shoulder, she ordered, "Turn around."

"You still have a great ass."

"Thanks." When she didn't move, waiting, Cloud sighed theatrically and noisily obeyed. Tifa still checked before scrambling onto the bank and diving into the bushes with her clothing. She had just zipped up her boots and run the brush through her hair when Cloud swam across the pool. Slinging her armour over her shoulder, she stepped out into the open and offered her hand.

He first looked at the hand, then up at her through his bangs. "If _I_ don't get to peek, then _you_ don't."

Tifa retorted, "I've seen your equipment before, remember? I figured you might need some help, being as you're sort of... um, short."

"Rub it in, why don't you?"

Bracing herself as he took her hand, Tifa pulled Cloud up onto the bank _without_ looking, then turned her back while he dressed. She took the time to organize all the straps and belts of her uniform, and had just buckled the pauldrons into place when his arms slid around her waist from behind. Forcing herself to _not_ twitch, Tifa cautiously peeked over her shoulder as Cloud's forehead came to rest against her back.

"You look like someone," he whispered. "His face and his name are just _there_, on the edge of my memory... but when I _try_ to remember, my head just – _argh_!"

"Cloud!" Spinning, Tifa caught him on the way down and was able to ease him onto his knees; Cloud had his hands clamped over his ears, his eyes screwed tightly shut in an expression of pure agony. _Crap!_ Hastily equipping the materia, she laid her glowing hands over his and cast Cure repeatedly until he slumped into her arms. Tucking his head under her chin, Tifa held him tightly until he pushed away.

Wiping his forehead with a shaking hand, Cloud mumbled, "_Dammit_. Could Sephiroth be trying to keep me from remembering something important?"

"Possibly."

"The bastard is probably planning to screw me over _really_ good."

Tifa bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. _Is __this__ the right time? Is there __ever__ going to be a right time?_ "Cloud, I know who it is you're trying to remember," she blurted out, nervously fidgeting.

"Yeah? How do _you_ know him?" he demanded suspiciously.

_Gods, I hope this is the right thing to do!_ Trying to calm her racing heartbeat, she continued, "He was in Nibelheim... with General Sephiroth."

"One of the ShinRa troopers?"

"No... he was the other SOLDIER." Plunging on despite his baffled expression, Tifa said, "His name was..." She broke off as Cloud's eyes turned ice-green, the pupils compressing to vertical slits, just before he launched himself at her. The impact of the collision sent them tumbling across the ground, Tifa desperately battling to protect herself. _Sephiroth's trying to stop me!_

She ended up on the bottom, one arm pinned and in imminent danger of being broken. _He's not a fist-fighter, so I should have an advantage – maybe?_ The crushing pain as his fist hammered her elbow not only disabused her of that, but also reminded her of Cloud's superior mako-enhanced strength – which was now being used against her. Swallowing her panic, she steadied her resolve. _I'm going to die here if I don't stay focussed_. A fist covered by a studded glove drove at her face, missing only by a hair when she somehow managed to evade it in her trapped position. _Did he just... pull back on that? Darn it_, _I can't afford to be distracted!_

Shoving with her free hand at Cloud's chin, she wondered if it was her longer reach that allowed her to shift his weight and give herself a tiny opening – or a miniscule hesitation on his part - but she didn't stop to think about it. _Sorry, Cloud - this hurts me as much as it does you!_ Viciously kneeing him in the groin, she gave a passing thought to the fact he didn't so much as grunt before throwing him off and scrambling away. _His silence is utterly creepy, but if only Sephiroth knew that's making it easier – sort of – for me to do this. _

As Cloud rolled up onto his feet, staggering only a little despite the damage she'd dealt him, Tifa said a silent prayer for divine help to whichever gods might be listening and charged. A flurry of one-armed punches set him back on his heels, but as she threw herself into a Somersault she heard him snarl, "_Won't_ do it... you _bastard_!"

_Is he aware?_ Taking a risk, she bent her knees – but not quite fast enough to compensate for her longer legs. The steel toe of her combat boot caught the tip of Cloud's chin, snapped his head back and sent him crashing into a tree. Something audibly cracked, and his body slackened; crumpling to the ground, he laid very still. _Can Sephiroth animate an unconscious body?_ Cautiously approaching, Tifa straddled Cloud's waist and gripped his throat. Peeling back one of his eyelids, she sighed in relief when the iris shone its usual shade of blue and allowed herself to slump, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I've heard of rough foreplay, but _this_ is ridiculous!"

Rolling off Cloud's limp body, Tifa flopped into the dirt. "He went 'green' again."

Yuffie approached, prodding the swordsman's shoulder with the tip of her shuriken. "Is it safe to be around him?"

"Mostly – just don't piss off Sephiroth by threatening to reveal a secret."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I tried to tell Cloud about Zack."

"_Ohhh_. Y'mean, what we talked about in Cosmo Canyon?" When Tifa nodded, Yuffie shook her head. "I thought we agreed to _not_ tell Cloud about that?"

"He's been suffering massive headaches every time he tries to remember who I remind him of, so I decided to take the risk."

"Honestly, Tifa, this is complicated enough without making Cloud even crazier." Peering more closely at the supine swordsman, Yuffie grasped his chin and rocked his head from side to side. "He isn't breathing."

"_Crap!_"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

When Cloud finally sat up, the pain in one _particular_ part of his body nearly making his eyes go crossed, he let out a hiss at the sight of Yuffie casting Cure on a rumpled, filthy Tifa. "_Shit_ – Sephiroth ate my brain again, didn't he?" Cloud gritted out, trying to not grab his crotch and whimper pathetically.

"He really didn't appreciate my attempt to jog your memory," Tifa said, slowly levering herself upright and dusting off her uniform.

Ignoring Yuffie's attempts to Cure him, Cloud anxiously demanded, "Are you all right?" as he struggled upright and reached for Tifa, only to pull back due to a combination of pain and guilt. "_Dammit!_"

"Sit _down_, already" the teenager ordered, pushing on his knee and when he more or less collapsed, she briskly applied the materia's healing power to his head. "Tifa, you can Cure his, uh, more _delicate_ injury."

"Sure." Kneeling at Cloud's side and equipping the materia, Tifa turned a spectacular shade of red while he flinched when she held the glowing energy to an extremely tender area. They couldn't look at each other for a few moments afterwards, until she touched his arm in a reassuring gesture. "You fought him off, didn't you?"

Cloud thought hard. "I-I think so. I knew what was going on – it was like watching through heavy mist – but a few times I think I managed to slow down my reactions."

"That's why you didn't break my arm _or_ my face."

"You _noticed_, and you still bagged me?"

"I was trying to stay alive," Tifa said apologetically. "The important thing is, you were able to defy his control – do you know how you did it?"

Cloud ran his hand through his hair. "I was unbelievably pissed that he was trying to hurt you, to take you away from me," he slowly answered. "And then the fog cleared."

"Just in time for my boot to meet your chin," she grinned ruefully. "Um, sorry. Although it's a good thing that you were able to stop him, I think you'd better surrender all your Summon materia until we figure out how to deal with the situation."

"I'll look after them!" Yuffie gleefully offered.

"Thanks, but no thanks, brat. I might want them back some day." Dropping the coloured orbs into Tifa's cupped hands, Cloud rasped, "My worst nightmare just happened."

Pocketing the materia, Tifa stood up, pulling Cloud with her, and impulsively wrapped him in a full-body hug. He remained stiff, but briefly returned the embrace. Releasing him, Tifa stooped to look him in the eye. Noting the guilt darkening his expression, she whispered fiercely, "We'll get through this... _together_. I promise," then lightly brushed her lips over his.

"Wow... guy-on-guy action really _is_ hot!" As the pair hastily stepped away from each other, Tifa blushing and Cloud glaring, the smirking teen continued, "People would pay good money for pictures of that, y'know."

"Lucky you don't have a camera."

"_Yet_," she cheekily corrected.

"The point is," Tifa said, attempting to return the conversation to safer ground, "I can bring Cloud back to his senses..."

"By snapping his neck," Yuffie chipped in. "Can I hit him next time?"

"Check our supply of Phoenix Down first."

"What the hell is this? Open season?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"We need a _what_ to traverse this forest?"

"A Lunar Harp." The foreman lounged against the peeling doorjamb of his rickety office, which featured a faded sign grandly proclaiming 'Bone Village Archaeological Site' hanging precariously from the lintel above his head, between the oversized fangs of the huge fake skull forming the roof.

"Sounds fucking bogus to me," Cid commented dolefully, taking a long drag on his cigarette and 'accidentally' blowing it into the foreman's face.

Waving away the pungent cloud, the man declared pleasantly, "You can't dig for one yourselves, either."

"Why not?"

"Can't have amateurs compromising either our strata or our data." He laughed then, as if at a great joke. "See, 'strata' rhymes with 'da..."

"How much?" Cloud demanded.

"50 Gil per digger."

"_What?_"

"That gets you five of my best." He held up his hand and splayed his fingers, implying Cloud was too dense to understand without counting them for confirmation.

Cloud crossed his arms over his chest, his brows lowering. "Not interested." Motioning his companions forward, he stomped away from the building, towards the ghostly forest.

"I'll be here," the foreman purred, picking his teeth as he retired to his chair.

_**Fifteen minutes later...**_

"I'll take the five." A bag of gil thumped onto the cluttered desk, raising a small puff of dust.

The foreman's relaxed posture didn't change. "The rate's now double."

"_What?_"

"50 gil is a one-time-only introductory offer; regular price is 100 gil per man. Take it or leave it."

"Why, _you_..."

Tifa firmly gripped Cloud's shoulder and stooped to murmur in his ear, "Pay it."

"But...!"

"We need to reach the others."

"_Fine_." A second bag clinked onto the desk next to the first; the foreman smiled, revealing missing front teeth and Tifa wondered if they were due to previously displeased customers.

"While you wait, I have a few Items you might be interested in." Dropping the money into an open drawer, he closed and carefully locked it. Pushing himself upright, he shambled over to the door. "Oi! A-Team, you have a paying customer who needs a Lunar Harp!"

Out in the field, two of the diggers looked at each other. "Another one? They're sure popular all of a sudden..."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"It's mine! Mine, mine, _mine_!" Yuffie whooped excitedly, chasing down the materia before it disappeared into the misty undergrowth.

"Why doesn't she use a megaphone to let everyone know we're here?" Cloud grumbled.

Tifa casually rested her hand on his shoulder. "We can handle anything she stirs up." _He definitely stays calmer when I'm touching him. It's just... trickier... finding ways of doing it that are socially acceptable for two males - not to mention acceptable to __us__._

"This place is makin' my fucking hair stand on end," Cid muttered, eyeing the pale trees stretching up overhead, their foliage rustling eerily in an unfelt breeze.

"Really? I think it's beautiful," Tifa replied as Cloud fiddled with the Rune Armlet that she now wore. She knew his dealings with the foreman deeply rankled, as did his loss of control the previous day, so lightly squeezed his fingertips in silent thanks.

Yuffie came bounding back to show off the Kjata materia before popping it into her pocket and then haring off ahead to look for more. She disappeared from view, but before Tifa could call her back, the teen came racing out of the fog. "Hurry! You _gotta_ see this!" she shouted, putting on the brakes and disappearing again.

The rest dashed after her, coming to a stop on the shore of a mirror-like lake. The image of a fantastical, shell-like structure shimmered in the dark water, and when they looked up, the reality took their breath away. "Isn't it beautiful?" Yuffie breathed, uncharacteristically subdued.

"Ain't never seen nothin' like it." Barret was clearly in awe; Cid put away the cigarette he was about to light.

"Let's move," Cloud ordered, giving the ethereal building a cursory look as he followed an overgrown path along the shore.

"Welcome!" Nanaki emerged from the shadows. "You have been missed."

"Any sign of Sephiroth?"

"Not yet, Cloud-san."

"He's close."

While the others looked around, as if half-expecting a black-cloaked madman to spring out at them, Nanaki shook his great head, his assorted Barrettes and Clips jingling. "Aerith-sama and Vincent-san are waiting. Come this way."

Behind the huge shell, a cracked but still mostly intact set of interlocking paved pathways led throughout the remains of what was once obviously a great city. Yuffie couldn't contain herself; she zipped in and out of the open doors of the buildings, scrambled over the leaf-like roofs, calling for the others to come look at this or that wonder. Cloud remained grim and silent, but he waited without complaint while the rest explored.

"How is Aerith?" he abruptly asked Nanaki.

"She is well. Concerned for the safety of her friends, of course, but determined to thwart Sephiroth."

"I... had another episode and attacked Tifa."

Nanaki considered him thoughtfully for a long moment before bumping the swordsman's leg with his shoulder. "Do not concern yourself, Cloud-san. We will protect you as well as Aerith-sama."

"I wish I was that confident," he mumbled.

"Believe in your ability to choose the right path." Nanaki hesitated again, then said, "My honoured grandfather detected a 'darkness' inside you that is blocking your full potential. It must be Sephiroth's influence."

"But how do I get _rid_ of him?"

Giving Cloud a steady look, Nanaki declared, "First you must face the truth about who you are."

"Huh?"

"Hey, Nanaki! Which way do we go?" Yuffie called, waving wildly from up ahead, where the path diverged.

"Vincent-san and I have cleared out most of the enemies during our stay, but there might still be one or two lurking in the dark. Oh, Tifa-san... you would probably benefit from wearing this Water Ring." Bobbing his head to Cloud, Nanaki trotted ahead. Pausing at Tifa's side, he gave her instructions and after she extracted the Accessory out of his mane, he headed off Yuffie before she could enter a tunnel-like opening.

Examining the Ring, Tifa walked back to where Cloud was standing; she was close enough to hear him murmur, "Face the truth?"

"Pardon?"

He grabbed her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "Tifa... who am I?"

"You're Cloud Strife of Nibelheim," she answered, wondering uneasily what Nanaki had said.

Nodding, he let go and stepped back. Checking his sword, he quietly said, "Don't hesitate to take me out, by whatever means necessary."

Adjusting her gloves, Tifa firmly replied, "Only _if_ necessary."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	12. Thunderstruck

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly devastated.

**A/N:**The way Squeenix chose to do the sequencing of this arc in the game annoys the hell out of me, so this chapter is short in length but long on dramatic entire team is present for all of the action and I'm fiddling with staging and scenery to suit myself. I know Tifa's Limit Breaks don't work that way in the game, but I'm using artistic license.

Pinching dialogue from _Advent Children_.

**Warnings:**Coarse language, violence and character death. Here there be spoilers if you don't know what happened to Aerith.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Twelve: Thunderstruck**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"This is _incredible_!" Yuffie whispered. She kept a tight hold on Tifa's harness as she gawked in all directions while they filed down the light-infused staircase into the bowels of the earth. "To think that all of this is still here, after all those centuries…. it makes you wonder what the Planet would be like today, if Jenova had never arrived."

"Less ShinRa," Barret grunted. "More peace."

"It looks like a fairy-tale castle," Tifa commented, waving her hand towards the turreted towers rising up to meet them.

"Watch your footing," Nanaki called from below. "The stairs are chipped in places, and the edges are very sharp."

"Helluva long way down," Cloud muttered. "Only one way in or out, so it'd be easy to set a trap."

Cid uneasily glanced over his shoulder at the length of the span they'd already covered. "Good point, boss. Should someone stay up top as a guard?"

"Which one of us is strong enough to take on Sephiroth alone?" Cloud asked.

"That'd be _you_." Yuffie's fingers tightened, almost throwing Tifa off-balance in mid-step.

"Ain't leavin' nobody behind," Barret rumbled, and that was that.

When they finally reached the bottom, Nanaki led the way through a low, arched opening in the perimeter wall – Tifa and Barret had to duck – and into the fortress proper. They turned right and followed the curving passageway between the walls, their boots loud on the pavement. Yuffie stuck close to Tifa the entire way, apparently too intimidated to be acquisitive. Skirting an inner building, up another flight of stairs, between two circular towers, and they were overlooking a courtyard completely filled by a crystalline spring. Across the courtyard, raised up on a slender pedestal, was a circular platform enclosed within a clear, vase-shaped vessel… and kneeling on the platform in an attitude of prayer was Aerith.

"What's she doing?" Yuffie asked. "That kinda looks like an altar."

"Asking the Planet for guidance," Nanaki replied.

"It hasn't told her how to stop Sephiroth yet?" the teen incredulously demanded.

Nanaki shook his head. "It is apparently not an easy task."

Tifa moved to the edge of the platform and inspected the two flights of stairs leading down towards the water's surface, where Vincent stood on a stone pier. His back was to them, facing Aerith's perch, but the muzzle of his gun protruded beyond his arm. _He's not taking any chances, if he's keeping his weapon at the ready._ Beyond Vincent's sentry post, a series of five round columns acted like vertiginous stepping stones up to a sixth column that flared to provide the base for an elegant staircase leading up to the circular platform; a single tower rose up out of the water beside it, overlooking the platform but seemingly lacking any connection to it or the rest of the fortifications. _That would've been the bastion of last resort; maybe a walkway once attached it to the altar._

"With Vincent's long-range attacks and accuracy, he can easily cover Aerith from here," Cloud noted before descending the stairs to the pier, Nanaki close behind.

"I'll stay up here; more room to throw my shuriken."

"Me, too," Barret rumbled as he took the safety off his gun-arm and braced his back against one of the towers.

Tifa peered across in Aerith's direction, noting that her eyes remained closed as if she hadn't heard their arrival. _She appears to be in a trance._ "Where do you want us, Cloud?" she asked.

He pointed at the altar. "You and Cid take positions up there. I'll stay down here with Vincent."

In the resulting shuffle, as they made their way down to the pier and Vincent stood aside to greet them, Cloud suddenly leapt up the columns, his weapon in his hand.

"_Spiky!_"

"Cloud! _NO!_" Tifa bolted after him, blind to everything except the desperate need to prevent a tragedy. _I'll __never__ forgive myself if he...! _

When he reached the top of the stairs, he swung the massive sword – and paused, wavering. Tifa was close enough to hear Cloud grind out, "What're you making me do...?" before she crashed into him. At the same moment, the butt end of Cid's lance slammed into the blade, knocking it away from Aerith. Nanaki flung himself in front of the mage as the ringing sound of the collision reached far enough into her trance to rouse her; misty green eyes slowly blinked open in time to see Tifa pinning Cloud to the ground and Cid restraining his sword by standing on it.

"Wh-what's going on?"

"Aerith-sama! _Urk _...!"

_Time stopped._

Impaled in his turn by the three feet of honed steel protruding from Aerith's body, Nanaki twisted and stared in horror at the bright red liquid dribbling down the mage's chin as the light in her expression extinguished. Something 'plinked' off the stone floor beside him; the pale materia she carried hidden in her hair bounced a couple more times before rolling towards the staircase and disappearing over the edge. As a length of pink silk fluttered down to land in the rapidly-growing crimson puddle, he heard a distinct splash from far below.

_Time snapped._

As the blade withdrew and she slumped forward, the coppery stench of their blood clogging his nostrils, Nanaki cushioned Aerith's collapse as best he could. Curling his lanky frame around her, he bared his teeth at the tall, black-garbed swordsman wearing the most impossibly satisfied expression he'd ever seen.

And then a scream of pure fury made his fur stand on end.

Fists and body ablaze with destructive energy, Tifa threw herself at Sephiroth.

Cloud crawled towards them; Nanaki tensed, ready to lash out, until the swordsman raised dulled eyes to meet his cautious gaze. Touching Aerith's cheek with trembling fingers, Cloud murmured raggedly, "This can't be real."

"Godammit, T! Getcher ass away from that fucker!" Cid yelled, and they both looked up to see Sephiroth easily evading Tifa's multiple blows, a cruel smile curving his lips. His sword flashed and Yuffie screamed, but Tifa somehow kicked it away. She wobbled as she landed, and that tiny, off-kilter moment allowed Cid to tackle her before she launched again. "We ain't losin' you, too," he hissed, forcefully shoving her down when she thrashed.

"So _pathetic_," Sephiroth declared, flicking red droplets off his sword as he levitated higher above their heads. "Do not weep for the girl; as part of the Lifestream, she will live on within me when I unite with the Planet. You will envy her easy death when _your_ time comes." Gesturing grandly, he announced, "My destiny awaits over the snowy fields!" A burst of gunfire tore through his torso; Sephiroth merely shook himself and sent an amused glance in Vincent's direction.

"You _bastard,_" Cloud seethed. "You're gonna _pay_ long, hard and painfully for this!"

The silver head tilted. "Why, Cloud… do you mean to tell me that you have _feelings_?"

Smearing at his wet cheeks while reaching for his sword, he snarled, "Of course I do! Unlike you, I'm _not_ a monster."

Sephiroth sighed regretfully, rising higher into the air. "Don't pretend to be angry or sad, Cloud, because _you_ are merely an empty puppet."

"Wh-what?"

His pale eyes alight with malicious glee, Sephiroth tossed an object towards them and vanished as a horrible _thing_ unfolded, expanded and showed every sign of using the small platform as a landing pad. "Get the missy outta here!" Cid bellowed, diving to scoop up Nanaki. Throwing his injured teammate over his shoulder, the pilot bounded down the columns to the pier and up the opposite staircase.

Tifa scooped Aerith into her arms as Vincent arrived. "Move quickly," he murmured. Reluctantly turning her back on the giant threat, the likes of which she hadn't seen since the Cargo Ship, she retreated down, across and up to where Yuffie was already desperately working on Nanaki's wounds under the protection of Barret's gun barrels.

"Tifa – here!"

The case of Phoenix Down slid across the stone as she gently laid Aerith on the stone tiles; even as she reached for the restorative Item, Tifa bit her lip. _There's something wrong – her body is already cold._ Wiping the blood off Aerith's face, she neatly arranged her limbs before opening the case and selecting one of the gaudy feathers. Laying it across the mage's unmoving chest, Tifa crossed her fingers. _She looks so peaceful_.

"Why isn't it working? It _always_ works! C'mon, c'mon, _c'mon_!" Yuffie pleaded, dropping to her knees beside Tifa, her hands tightly clasped, fixing the feather with a desperately hopeful gaze.

Nanaki padded over and laid down, his head on his paws, his nose almost touching Aerith's throat. After several long, slow sniffs, he sighed deeply and closed his eye. "She is gone," he declared heavily.

"No! She _can't_ be! _No_!" Yuffie protested, then broke down in tears. Tifa wrapped her arms around the teen and pulled her close; Yuffie burrowed into her chest, sobbing hysterically, while over their heads, Barret let off a thunderous barrage of both bullets and profanity.

"Fucking _asshole_," Cid muttered thickly. Hefting his lance, he took a running jump, landed easily on the edge of the circular platform and then went air-borne. "Fire in the hole!" he shouted before stabbing downwards; the resulting explosion blew off one of the monster's deformed limbs just as a strange blue flame flickered. While Vincent poured round after round into the creature, an arc of purple energy tracked Cloud's ascent as he unleashed a ClimHazzard. However, the bleeding creature spun on its trunk-like axis as a thick blue light blanketed the altar; Cloud flew out of the obscuring fog and Tifa clearly heard his pained grunt as he collided with the freestanding tower. _Its attacks appear to be all water-based – darn it, I should've given this Water Ring to Cloud!_

An equally unpleasant thought made her heart pound irregularly. _While we're down here fighting this monster, Sephiroth could be up top blocking the exit!_ "Yuffie... I have to go help the boys. Will you stay here with Barret and protect Nanaki and Aerith?"

Huge, dark eyes, absolutely desolate in their expression, broke Tifa's heart as the teen forced herself to nod bravely. Wiping her eyes on the back of her glove, Yuffie stood up and marched over to where she'd dropped her shuriken, then took up a position behind Nanaki. "We got this," she said. "Go kick the shit out of that thing."

Tifa saluted and jumped down the steps to the pier. Above her, Vincent was blasted with blue flame and knocked head over heels out into space... and then he abruptly, astonishingly, transformed into a bizarre purple beast. A thick red mane bristled and a long tail lashed; roaring, he landed on one of the columns, his massive claws tearing off chunks of stone, and threw himself back into the fray. There was more of that eerie blue light, followed by some unpleasant crunching, squelching sounds that Tifa really didn't want to think about and then Cid hastily decamped to the narrow battlement on the freestanding tower.

She noted that Cloud was holding his ribs while watching the action on the altar. Cid edged closer and spoke to the swordsman; Cloud nodded and Cid appeared to cast Cure on him. _I wonder what colour are his eyes? He seems to be in control of himself... well, at least he isn't attacking any of __us__._ She was considering the dangers of going to Vincent's aid when Yuffie shrieked a warning. A large object hurtled into the water scant inches from the pier she was standing on; without waiting to see what it was, she took advantage of the resulting geyser and rode its energy upwards. "Cid! Let's go!"

"_Fuck!_ More fucking warnin' woulda been good!"

"Next time!"

As soon as the explosion from Cid's attack shook the altar, she somersaulted onto the platform, skidded in some alarmingly-coloured ooze, and charged towards her target to deliver a sweeping kick that directed a torrent of water at the monster and forced it backwards. Pressing home her advantage, she dashed in and unleashed a killer uppercut. The follow-through slammed into the monster like a water-cannon and sent it tottering. It wasn't finished yet; she was abruptly bathed in that strange blue light but found herself unaffected.

"I got it!" Cloud hoarsely shouted, his sword raised high overhead as he pushed off of the tower and sliced the creature right down the middle. It fell apart in a welter of gore, and he proceeded to hack it into very, very small pieces while Tifa fell back, mildly nauseated by the butchery.

"T! Need some fucking _help_ down here!"

"On it!" Charging down the stepping-stone columns, she crouched next to Cid, who was struggling to haul an unconscious Vincent out of the water. Reaching over the cursing pilot, she fisted a handful of slippery red cloth and yanked, then used the leverage to grab the gunslinger's arm.

"One... two... _heave_!"

"Heavier than he fucking looks," Cid commented, sounding a little short of breath as they dragged Vincent up onto the pier.

"Lucky he didn't sink, what with all his armour," Tifa said. "Gimme a hand." Cid took hold of Vincent's feet while she gripped his shoulders; between the two of them, they manhandled him up the open stairs. Yuffie let out a little cry of dismay and helped lay him down a respectful distance from Aerith; with a mumbled apology, she took the inactivated Phoenix Down from the mage's body and pressed it to Vincent's chest. When the feather disappeared and the gunslinger's crimson eyes opened a few moments later, she again burst into tears.

"What is wrong?" he asked, apparently puzzled.

"It's just... y'know... _horrible_... an' Aerith, an' you... an'..." she hiccupped, scrubbing at her eyes.

It was hard to tell who was more surprised when Vincent sat up and reached for Yuffie. Cupping the back of her head, he pulled her in to press her forehead against his wet chest. "It is all right," he rumbled into her hair. "I am unharmed."

"What the hell was that thing you transformed inta?" Barret demanded, keeping his eye on the circular platform where Cloud was still reducing the monster to individual molecules.

Releasing a stunned Yuffie, who now had water dripping off her bangs and running down her cheeks, Vincent asked, "What did I look like?"

"Giant purple critter, with bright red hair an' big-ass claws," Barret answered. "An' a tail," he added as an afterthought, as Yuffie wiped her nose.

Finally appearing to notice his sopping clothing, Vincent wrung out a corner of his cape. "I suppose that must have been the Galian Beast."

"How many more did ya say ya got in there?"

"Three."

"Hope they're better lookin'."

"Cloud-san approaches," Nanaki warned. "He appears to be in difficulty."

As Cloud staggered up over the edge of the platform, coated in gore and his eyes flickering between green and blue, safeties were flicked off and projectiles readied. The lack of his weapon was instantly noted, but Barret trained his gun-arm on Cloud anyways until he rasped, "T… _help_…." From the strain on his face, it was obvious that he was fighting an intense inner battle.

As Tifa stood up, Yuffie latched onto her hand. "Don't hit him," she implored. "Do whatever the _other_ thing is that makes the freaky eyes go away first... _then_ hit him if you have to."

Squeezing the teen's fingers before letting go, Tifa strode towards Cloud. "All of you – close your eyes," she commanded.

"Close our eyes? What the hell for… well, _fuck_." Cid hastily turned away as Tifa gripped Cloud's face between her hands and hesitated only a moment before kissing him deeply and thoroughly. The caress was brief; Cloud pulled free and raised a shaking hand to rub over his face. Tifa didn't move until he looked up at her with anguished blue eyes, then rested her hand on his shoulder in silent support as they approached Aerith's body.

Kneeling beside the silent corpse, his shoulders slumping, Cloud simply looked at the mage's dead face for a very long time. "I'm sorry," he finally whispered. "I'm sorry I let you die."

"We _all_ failed her, Cloud-san," Nanaki rumbled. "Do not take this responsibility solely onto your own shoulders." After a pause, he added, "Let us return to the surface."

"Should we leave Aerith's body here?" Tifa asked. "This _is_ the heart of the Cetra homeland."

"There are no flowers here," Nanaki earnestly replied.

"I'll get my sword," Cloud muttered and disappeared in the direction of the altar. By the time he caught up, grim-faced but in full control, Barret was leading the impromptu funeral cortege up the crystal staircase with Yuffie close behind. Nanaki led Tifa and Vincent in the second group; Tifa was carrying Aerith's body with Vincent supplying tangible support in the form of a hand on her back to help brace her during the long ascent.

Cid was waiting for him at the base of the staircase. "Puttin' you last just in case Sephiroth thinks it'd be fucking cute to make you cause a cave-in or somethin'," he said, clapping Cloud on the shoulder.

Acknowledging both the potential threat and the sensible solution with a curt nod, Cloud gestured for the pilot to precede him up the glowing staircase.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Once they reached the surface, relieved to not have encountered either Sephiroth or any other notable difficulties, they made their way to the lake at the entrance to the city. Tifa stumbled a little from exhaustion; Vincent caught both of them and helped ease the mage's limp form onto the sandy verge.

"Now what should we do?" Yuffie whispered, smoothing a stray hair off Aerith's brow. "We can't just leave her here where animals could get at her."

"Maybe a ledge or somethin' up there?" Barret suggested, inspecting the shell-like structure overlooking the lake.

"She should be returned to the Planet," Nanaki said. "I suspect this lake is connected to the Lifestream, because the water smells the same as the spring down below."

"Let me do it." Everyone looked at Cloud, who squared his shoulders. "I was supposed to be her bodyguard... to keep her safe. This is the least I can do for her."

Nanaki nodded his assent, and the others followed his lead. Ramming his sword into the earth, Cloud strode forward and carefully lifted Aerith into his arms; her head lolled most disconcertingly against his shoulder. "I keep expecting her to open her eyes and smile, then give us all hell for making such a fuss over her," he murmured before wading out towards a pale shaft of sunlight. Lowering Aerith into the chilly water, after a moment he moved his hands away; her body briefly floated before she slipped beneath the surface and he watched her slide into the crystalline depths, her unbound hair flaring around her.

On the shore, Tifa abruptly sat down and buried her face in her hands; Yuffie immediately tucked herself up against Tifa's side and made soothing noises. Several minutes later, Cloud sloshed out of the lake and headed straight for them, water streaming from his clothing. Holding out his hand, he ordered, "Come."

Tifa numbly looked at the hand before raising her head to meet his piercing gaze, then slowly obeyed. Heaving her upright, Cloud towed her behind him as he headed back towards the lake, now sparkling in the wintery sunlight. When he waded into the water and it became obvious that he intended to haul her in as well, Tifa planted her boots in the sand and resisted. "What're you doing?"

Cloud gestured. "Nanaki's right – this lake is full of mako energy. We can change you back."

Pulling her hand free, Tifa shook her head. "No... not _here_," and backed up a couple of steps, her revulsion at the idea loud and clear. "Not where Aerith... _no_."

"We don't know when we might have another chance," he argued.

Clenching her hands, Tifa stubbornly shook her head again. "Not here." Raising her fist, inspecting the way the leather of her glove pulled tight over her knuckles, she murmured, "This body is stronger, faster, more powerful, and I'll use it to protect my loved ones."

Cloud's expression closed and he stalked out of the water towards her; Tifa squared up, not sure of his intentions. Coming to a halt, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a wet, stained length of pink silk. Looping it around Tifa's wrist, right above the frayed blue ribbon hidden by her glove, he growled, "Just don't forget who you really are," as he rapidly tied a knot.

Covering the memento with her other hand, Tifa muttered, "I'll _never_ forget," and the listeners weren't entirely sure that she was referring only to herself. Raising her voice, she said, "You broke his control again - maybe your resistance is getting stronger?"

"He was trying to break _you_." As all eyes turned to Vincent, he continued, "Sephiroth first tried to force you into killing Aerith yourself, so her blood would be on your hands. When you fought off his influence, he executed her himself – and made sure you witnessed the deed. It's you, Cloud – he wants to destroy _you_."

"What did you do to him?" Yuffie whispered.

Cloud raked his fingers through his spikes. "I don't know."

"Why'd the fucker wait until _now_ to crawl out from under his rock?" Barret demanded. "It's been five fucking years, right?"

Tifa bit her lip and thought, until inspiration struck. "Cloud had to be available – and he was locked up in a ShinRa lab until recently."

"So it's personal," Cloud murmured. "You're all in danger because of your association with me – Tifa most of all."

"It's now personal for me, too," Yuffie growled. "Aerith was my friend, and Sephiroth's gonna pay for what he did!"

Nodding, Cloud glanced at the others. "Are you with us?"

Cid scratched his ear. "Ain't much difference 'tween havin' Sephiroth or ShinRa gunnin' fer us, so I'm stayin' the fucking course." Vincent also inclined his head, as did Nanaki.

"Ain't sendin' ya off t' face th' asshole alone," Barret declared. "Safety in numbers."

"Thanks," Cloud mumbled, his ear-tips flushing pink.

"I wonder if the Planet heard Aerith's prayer?" Vincent mused.

"_I_ wonder why we couldn't revive her?" Yuffie said in a very small voice. "Why didn't the Phoenix Down work? Was it something about Sephiroth's sword?"

"Both Cloud and Nanaki were skewered by it, and they survived," Tifa pointed out.

Nanaki cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with something. "Since a sacrifice was required to gain the Black Materia, perhaps the Planet demanded one as well - as the price of stopping Meteor."

A chill passed over all of them, and then hope kindled.

"Y'mean – Sephiroth may have accidentally fucked hisself by givin' th' Planet _exactly_ what it needed to stop him?" Barret hoarsely demanded.

"It is only a theory," Nanaki sighed, drooping. "Or perhaps I wish to believe that her death was not in vain."

"_I_ approve of this theory," Vincent said, and everyone else nodded.

"Awright – Spiky, where's your Sephi-radar pointing?"

"North." Retrieving his sword and slapping it into place on his back, Cloud commanded, "Let's mosey."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

**A/N: **I know that it was Jenova-LIFE who spoke the second half of the 'puppet' line, but since 'she' is Sephiroth anyways, I gave the complete line to him rather than breaking it up by the fight in between.


	13. Frozen

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they're frozen (and not always from shock).

**A/N:**I know the Buster Sword technically can't be used as an over-sized throwing knife, a la the Fusion Sword in _ACC_, but I believe I've already broken that rule at least once in this fic. Also, there's a bit of non-canon materia tampering.

References to events in _Crisis Core_ and to the _Last Order_ OVA.

**Warnings:**Coarse language, violence.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Thirteen: Frozen**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Too damn cold for an old man," Cid groused, pulling the collar of his jacket up around his ears and rolling his sleeves down over the cuffs of his gauntlets. "Don't know how Vinnie can stand it."

"Cloud was fully prepared to buy you a parka," Yuffie said, clearly enjoying the warmth afforded by her new garment.

"I ain't a sissy," he sniffed, lighting a fresh cigarette.

"Don't let Barret – or 'Laurence' - hear you say that."

"Or me, either." I shot Cid a sardonic look as I stepped out of the depot, making a point to zip up my new parka. Maybe he was miffed because Tifa and I snagged the only two military-style ones? Tough nuts. They were cut in such a way that we could wear our armour and harnesses over top, meaning I could carry my sword. Beckoning to the other three – Vincent had disappeared again – I grinned at how Barret had pulled up the hood on his dark-green coat, probably to protect the shaven sides of his head from the chill, but the overall effect was of a giant bush ambling across the snow.

Tifa, on the other hand, looked utterly fantastic in the slim-cut, dark-blue coat, which unfortunately meant she was attracting all sorts of attention. Fortunately, she was oblivious to the admiring glances from the women, and if she knew how many of the men were jealously glaring as a result, she'd be mortified. Tall, dark, handsome, with those intensely-hued eyes – 'Laurence' was a total lady-killer and I amused myself by imagining her audience's various reactions if they knew 'he' was a she… and she was _mine_.

That knowledge secretly buoyed me, when the events of the previous day had nearly destroyed me. If Vincent only knew how much his comments about Sephiroth's personal hatred had rattled my equilibrium... anyways, it meant I was even more determined to protect our team, which in turn meant I'd better speak to Tifa about the way she went after Sephiroth. It was true to form for her nature, but she was incredibly lucky both times that he didn't cut her in half, and I doubted her luck would hold. Actually, it was lucky for _him_ that he didn't, because after Aerith – well, it woulda been a death match, right there and then.

When I was finally able to doze off last night, my nightmare of the Masamune stabbing through Tifa's body woke up the entire camp. Didn't sleep much after that, despite Tifa quietly shifting her bedroll closer to mine. Although I completely understood her reasons for remaining male – extra strength and speed are definite assets when going into a fight for the very Planet's survival – I also couldn't help being a little cranky about it at the same time. I wanted feminine curves pressed against me and a short skirt to distract me, and it didn't appear that I was going to get either any time soon.

I _needed_ distraction, because otherwise thinking about Aerith left this cold, numb feeling in the pit of my stomach. No matter what Nanaki said about the responsibility for her death being shared, it laid more heavily on my shoulders as her bodyguard. I figured Sephiroth would try to use my despair as another way to get at me, to take over my mind and body, so I tried to deliberately lock down any negative emotions.

Fat chance. There were too many things to think about, such as the not-so-minor detail that we were now short one Healer and on our way to face Sephiroth in a place of his own choosing. Letting the enemy pick the battlefield is a sure-fire way to get your ass kicked, but we didn't have any choice. As Barret and Tifa joined us, I announced, "They're tuning up three of these for us, so let's get something to eat."

Cid pointed his cigarette at the row of snow machines lined up outside the depot. "You expect me to ride on one of those fucking things?"

"Or in the sledge," I answered. "Suit yourself."

"_Fuck._"

"C'mon, Cid. We'll find you a cup of tea, and it'll all be fine," Yuffie wheedled, and he grouchily allowed himself to be cajoled into following us.

Tifa fell into step beside me, but this time I noticed that she switched her leading foot in order to match my stride, as if she'd been trained to march in cadence. Barret had lectured her on it one night a few days ago, before we rejoined the others, as part of his attempts to make us appear a more authentic military unit, and here she was practising in this very public place. After what had happened yesterday, I was amazed that she even _remembered_... but then she didn't have a resident madman snickering inside her head as a distraction, either.

"This one smells appetizing, Cloud-san," Nanaki said, pulling me out of my internal contemplation; we were standing in front of a pub.

"On the pricey side," Barret dourly observed, squinting at the posted menu.

"Might as well spend our gil while it's still worth something," I commented. "If Meteor comes, we'll be using our coins for _shogi_ pieces."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Tain't tea, but it works for me!" Cid practically sang, then clinked mugs with Barret before sucking back his drink.

The pub was definitely lively, full of rosy-cheeked, damp-wool-wearing winter sports enthusiasts quaffing small mugs of mulled wine fortified with shots of liqueur. It also supplied hearty bowls of thick dumpling and sausage soup, which was more than enough reason to brave the noise despite the way it added to the racket inside my skull. Cid and Barret weren't helping after a couple of mugs apiece; they were loud and profane and attracting shirty looks from the nearby patrons.

Tifa only took a small mouthful of her mulled wine before pushing the mug across the table for our underage ninja to try. Yuffie was decidedly sparkly-eyed after knocking back half the mug in one gulp, and Tifa snatched it back, sloshing a little on the table top in the process. Nanaki's nose appeared above the edge of the table next to my elbow, his nostrils flaring as he deeply sniffed. "Would you like to try some?" Tifa offered, mopping up the drips with a napkin.

"The scent of alcohol is very strong," he hedged. "I suspect it is rather potent."

"You're not kiddin'," I agreed, making a face and pushing my mug aside. Hooking my thumb in Barret and Cid's direction, I muttered, "We'd better cut those two off or they won't be safe to drive." The pub was overly warm, but even so I was surprised by how fast the alcohol had gone to their heads. If I didn't need to stay alert, I might have been tempted to join them in an effort to drown the images and sounds in my head. In an attempt to distract myself from my morbid thoughts, I leaned over and inspected Nanaki's cramped quarters beneath the table. "You okay under there?"

"The soup was worth a small amount of discomfort," he replied.

"I'm sorry that you had to put up with that shit."

The leonine creature shrugged. "I have been called worse things than a 'strange pet' in my time. They meant no harm."

"We'll be out of here soon... for Shiva's sake, brat!" I glared across the table at Yuffie, who had filched both Tifa's half-emptied mug and my full one. While Barret and Cid shared out my portion and burst into ribald song, Yuffie grinned woozily.

"Thas' goo' stuff," she slurred.

"And we have our first volunteer sledge-rider," I snorted.

At that moment, one of the waitresses approached our table. Bending over on just the right angle to give both Tifa and myself a complementary view down her lace-framed cleavage, she placed two more spicy-scented mugs in front of us. "Compliments of the ladies at table twelve."

"And which ladies would they be?" I asked; when she pointed, I raised one of the mugs to a group of attractive young women, who all tittered and waved. Tossing a bag of gil onto the waitress' tray, I said, "Serve them a round of whatever they're drinking and keep the change."

Her eyes grew very round and wide as she calculated the generous tip. "Yes, _sir_!" she purred before sashaying away in an obvious invitation.

Smirking, I saluted the table again and caused more giggling, hair-twirling and general feminine fluttering... at least until Tifa dug her elbow into my ribs. "_What_ do you think you're _doing_?" she hissed.

"Fulfilling the first duty of all men in uniform – making the girls swoon." When I glanced at Tifa, I was amused to see her vivid eyes practically shooting sparks. "Careful, Laurence, or I might have to report you for dereliction of duty." To say Tifa was taken aback was an understatement, and when one of our admirers, a petite blonde wearing a nicely snug sweater boldly blew her a kiss, her jaw dropped, she turned an astonishing shade of red and quickly found the tabletop extremely interesting – which earned her a round of appreciative cooing.

"We should leave as soon as possible," Vincent announced, appearing apparently out of thin air and perching next to Yuffie – and incidentally blocking the view of table twelve.

"I can't agree more," Tifa growled, her lip curling.

"Ooooh, Vin'chen! Wan' try some?" Yuffie hiccupped, proffering her mug. "S'goooood!"

"No, thank you," he replied with solemn dignity, smoothly extracting the drink from Yuffie's fist and sliding it in Cid's direction.

"What's up?" I asked, amused at how Yuffie hadn't even noticed, because she was staring at the gunslinger with dreamy, slightly-glassy eyes.

"A blizzard is forecast to arrive by this evening."

"_Damn_." The pressure inside my head ramped up, and I couldn't stop myself from grimacing in pain.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked quietly.

There was no sense in lying at that point. "I'm being 'pulled' again... and it's _really_ strong."

"I expect that it will become worse the closer we get to Sephiroth's location." Vincent leaned in, scanning my face. "Can you resist it?"

"Trying." Tifa's hand arrived on my back, just above my belt, and her fingertips began kneading. Thank Shiva that I had the sense to sit next to her, with our backs against the wall; I leaned into her touch until the pain eased. Flashing her a smile, I muttered, "I ain't gonna be his puppet again, not if I can help it."

As she withdrew her hand, Vincent huffed when Yuffie abruptly cuddled into his side. Drawing her legs up on the bench, she oozed downwards until her head was pillowed on his thigh. Sighing happily, she fell asleep; the look on the gunslinger's face – what we could see of it – was _priceless_.

Nanaki chuckled deep in his throat and affectionately nuzzled Yuffie's cheek. "Perhaps you should check on the progress of our transport, Cloud-san."

"Yeah. Laurence, Nanaki - you're with me." As I stood up and shouldered into my parka, I cast a gimlet eye at Barret and Cid, who were very, _very_ red-faced and verging on cross-eyed. "Try to keep these idiots from starting any brawls before we come back." On the way out, I gave my most charming grin to the ladies of table twelve and received in return a highly gratifying response of pouts and mouthed regrets.

"I'll wait outside, _sir_," Tifa gritted through her teeth as she stormed past with Nanaki at her heels.

Backing up a few steps, I stage-whispered, "You'll have to forgive my subordinate... he's painfully shy around beautiful women." To a chorus of delighted squeals and multiple offers to cure Tifa of her unfortunate condition, I exited the pub in triumph.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Outside, Tifa's shoulders were set at a particularly rigid angle while she watched Nanaki rolling furiously in a snow bank. Shaking himself vigorously, he seated himself on his haunches beside her, his tail curling neatly around him... and regarded me with a mildly disapproving expression. "What's wrong with having a bit of fun?" I asked, looking steadily at Tifa, who was glaring at the innocent snow bank with enough heat to melt it. "Since I can't flirt with _you_, I have to practice on _somebody_."

"Attracting undue attention is not wise, Cloud-san," Nanaki said quietly. "ShinRa would prefer to have us in custody."

I had to admit that he was right. Our uniforms made us extremely conspicuous, and while there hadn't been any obviously off-duty ShinRa personnel in the pub, I wouldn't be surprised if their tentacles reached this far north_._ "Point taken." Tifa turned on her heel and strode off in the direction of the depot, still fairly bristling, and I let her go. No sense in trying to talk to her until she'd cooled off... but there was a small part of me that was smugly pleased with her reaction. Although, she _really_ ought to know better than to think I might be interested in bits of fluff like _that_.

Interrupting my juvenile preening, Nanaki asked, "Cloud-san, when did you say you'd previously visited Modeoheim?"

"It was a mission during the Genesis Rebellion... our chopper was shot down, and we had to hoof it through a blizzard to storm the reactor." Shaking the snow out of my hair as we reached the depot, I commanded, "Wait out here. Nanaki, be ready to collect the others."

However, I'd no sooner walked into the grimy building, redolent of oil and grease, when the lead hand waved a wrench at me. "Had a small issue with the carburetor on this one, guv; we're checking the others, too." Ignoring my sceptical snort, he continued, "Have a couple more drinks."

"We need to get out before the blizzard hits."

"Ah, no prob, guv. See, the weather only gets nasty just before dark, so every mornin' we have fresh powder on the runs!"

"Hustle it up, alright?" When I came back outside, Tifa was packing a snowball with Nanaki intently watching; I wondered if he'd chase it if she threw it. "We might have to stay overnight."

"Would that be so bad?" Tifa asked, winging her snowball at a nearby house wall, and Nanaki actually looked disappointed. "A decent night's sleep in a warm bed sounds good to me – especially if there's a blizzard on the way."

Pulling up my hood, because her tone was even more wintry than the landscape, I sighed, "Fine. Let's check out some accommodations."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Hello! Welcome to the Gasthaus Holzoff!" The matronly woman beamed cheerfully as she bustled into the foyer, wearing a crisply-ironed white apron over her dress. Spotting Nanaki, who was keeping his tail-flare out of sight, she chirped, "Pets are always welcome!"

"Is that so?" I queried, my eyebrow twitching.

Oblivious, she continued, "Absolutely! We find them to be better-behaved than most humans."

While Nanaki muffled a snicker in his paw, Tifa inquired, "Do you have any rooms available?"

"How many in your party?"

"Eight - uh, seven," she amended, and I felt the same pang.

"Hm. I have two rooms, three beds apiece." Squinting at Nanaki, the woman said, "Were you counting him?"

"Er, yes?"

"Floors are pretty cold, so I don't blame you for wanting him up off them. I believe I can manage a cot."

"Are there any guesthouses on the Great Glacier itself?" I asked, itching to get moving, and not entirely because of the insistent tug on my brain.

"Oh, my stars, no! There's nothing between here and Gaea's Cliff except miles of wilderness!" Dabbing at her eyes with the corner of her apron, she continued, "No one with any _sense_ would want to go there, anyways."

Moved by the woman's obvious distress, Tifa stepped forward. "May I ask why, ma'am?"

"Twenty years ago, I lost my husband to Gaea's Cliff." Inspecting the military-issue boots and trousers we were both wearing as well as the hilt of the large sword protruding above my shoulder, the woman tilted her head. "You ShinRa boys?"

"Erm, yes, ma'am," Tifa answered nervously.

"I suppose you want to see Professor Faremis' lab," the woman sighed, fishing around in her pocket. "ShinRa types always do."

We exchanged puzzled looks. "Professor Faremis?" Tifa asked, as the woman rummaged in another pocket.

"That was before our time with SOLDIER," I said. "Tell us more."

"Professor Gast Faremis left a comfy job with ShinRa – always said it was over differences of opinion – and set up his lab here. He used to go on expeditions to the Forgotten City and bring back things to study. Well, one day he brought back a beautiful woman."

"Not something you'd expect to find in a place like that," I murmured, thinking of our own loss in that strangely beautiful place.

"She was a real looker, too, named Ifalna. Tall, regal – had that 'air' about her, you know? We all had bets on how long before the Professor realized what a treasure he had right under his nose, because you know those science types – too busy looking in their microscopes – ah-ha!" Triumphantly producing a key, she continued, "We hosted their wedding reception right here, in my breakfast room. Wasn't long after that she had the most precious baby girl with big green eyes and soft chestnut fuzz all over her dear little head."

I beat Tifa to the question. "What was the child's name?"

"It was quite unusual – Aerith."

"Get the others," I urgently ordered, but Nanaki was already gone, the doors swinging closed in his wake.

"Where is Professor Faremis' lab?" Tifa hoarsely asked, reaching for the key.

"Two doors down on the left... my stars, son! You look like you've seen a ghost!" the woman clucked, boldly taking hold of Tifa's trembling hand.

"Aerith was very dear to us," she rasped, her face drawn. "She was our friend."

"So... Professor Faremis went back to ShinRa?" the woman asked, plainly surprised. "The way he talked about them, they were back-fence neighbours with the devil himself. Is that how you boys know her?"

"In a manner of speaking," I calmly replied. "Aerith was very special."

"You don't say," the woman murmured, and then she crumpled a handful of her starched apron. "You keep referring to her in the past tense..."

"She was murdered yesterday at the Forgotten City. We're hunting for her killer." As the woman's hand flew up to her mouth, I grabbed Tifa's arm and dragged her outside.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I-it's so _unfair_!" Yuffie wailed into Tifa's chest. "Why? Why was _everything_ taken away from her?"

I could tell that Tifa was hiding her own tears in Yuffie's hair while she rubbed the teen's back; we were standing outside the dilapidated building that had housed Professor Faremis' lab and the home he'd shared with Ifalna... and briefly, Aerith.

Vincent had remained with Cid at the pub, because the pilot had passed out and could not be roused. Barret, however, had sobered up with amazing speed and brought Yuffie with him; a thorough face-wash in a snowdrift had done wonders for her alertness. Now her face was blotchy again, but from emotion, not friction.

"C'mon," Barret said gruffly, firmly gripping Tifa's shoulder. "Let's get goin'."

"I'll return the key and get the others; the rest of you, head for the depot. We're outta here, blizzard or no blizzard." I stalked off in the direction of the guesthouse, my head pounding; Nanaki paced along at my side. Both of us looked so forbidding that other patrons of the resort cleared out of our way. After thanking the woman, we kept going until we spotted Cid stamping his feet and complaining about the chill outside the depot. The door to the bay was open and the mechanics had rolled out our machines under Vincent's watchful eye. They were hooking up the sledges when Nanaki and I arrived; I checked over their workmanship and settled the bill while wondering why the others hadn't caught up.

A few minutes later, Tifa arrived carrying Yuffie on her back, with Barret stomping along beside to make sure she kept her balance on the uneven surface. The teen looked positively pathetic, her face stained with tears, which meant the upset had continued after Nanaki and I left. However, as she slid off Tifa's back, she furiously scrubbed her cheeks with her sleeve. Vincent immediately went to her and handed over her shuriken; she meekly accepted it, remaining by his side. He stooped to say something, and I caught Yuffie's weak answering smile as I sent a pair of goggles winging in Tifa's direction. "Catch."

Snagging the goggles out of mid-air, Tifa put them on while I repeated the delivery method with Barret. The big man had some trouble managing the adjustment process with one hand; Cid set him to rights.

"Who's stayin'?" I asked, looking at Cid as I said it, but it was Yuffie who surprised me. Straightening up and striding purposely forward, she came to a stop in front of me and defiantly tilted her chin.

"You'll need an awesome ninja like me to make sure Sephiroth doesn't kick your ass," she said in a brave attempt at her usual cockiness.

Arching my eyebrow, I couldn't help appreciating her spirit. "I was hoping you'd say that," I said, making a split-second decision. Reaching into my pocket, I withdrew a handful of materia. "You're now our official Healer."

"M-me?" she stammered, eyeing the glowing orbs with considerably less enthusiasm than might have been expected.

"You're fast on your feet and that's an advantage if you have to reach someone on the battlefield."

"Were these Aerith's?"

"Yes. They're yours now... if you'll take the job. Except for _this_ one." Extracting a troublesome Transform materia out of the glimmering pile, I shoved it back into my pocket.

Yuffie nodded once, with considerable determination. "I will."

"Good." Raising my voice, I announced, "Yuffie and Laurence are with me. Vincent? Can you take Barret and Nanaki?"

"That ain't fucking fair, boss!" Cid threw his cigarette on the ground and glared ferociously. "You implyin' that I ain't _competent_ to pilot one o' these fucking things?"

"I'm not sayin' anything," I blandly replied. "Who's riding with you?"

"C'mon, Barret," the pilot said. "Us two old men'll show the fucking whippersnappers how it's done."

"My ass is too big for that skinny lil seat," Barret muttered. "Guess I gotta ride inna sledge."

"Myself as well," Nanaki commented, gingerly nosing the high-sided conveyance. "Barret-san, Yuffie-kun – you may use these furs for your own comfort. I have my own."

"Thank you," Yuffie replied, sitting somewhat stiffly in her sledge while Tifa collected the extra fur blankets and gave half to Barret.

I watched out of the corner of my eye when she returned to Yuffie and suggested, "Fold one and put it under your butt - the more padding the better." As she tucked the rest of the furs into place, Tifa smiled gently at the teen. "It's like Barret said... safety in numbers. We'll stick together, and we'll be all right." Giving Yuffie's hair a quick scruff, she moved to help Barret arrange his furry wrapping to advantage. Nanaki asked her to shorten the rope he was expected to hold in his teeth to keep himself anchored in the sledge, and then I beckoned her to join me as I fired the snow machine's engine. She almost slid her arms around my waist, but stopped herself and instead felt around the underside of the seat. "Problem?" I asked over my shoulder.

"No. There's a welded hand-hold... _sir_."

"You can drop _that_ attitude any time now," I growled, but she merely shrugged and scooted further back on the seat. Mentally cutting loose with a few choice epithets, I eased open the throttle and began scribing a wide arc to account for the sledge. However, the unmistakeable sound of a large helicopter drowned out the rumble of our engines. "_Shit_," I muttered, pushing up my goggles and glaring at the large red-and-gold crest on the chopper's fuselage as loose snow billowed around us in a gauzy veil. "Make a run for it!" I yelled at the others.

Instead, Vincent stood upright on the footrests, pulled out his gun and coolly aimed at the tail fin. Firing off several rounds which appeared to perforate the steel skin, it was enough to spook the crew – or affect the helicopter's steering function. The chopper veered away over the treetops; he holstered his weapon as he dropped back into his seat. "Lead the way," he called, and I yanked my goggles back down and took off down the groomed track leading to the ski area.

Behind us in the sledge, Yuffie was making _very_ loud retching noises; I hoped she had aimed it over the side, but I was too busy looking for trouble to check – and sure enough, I found it. There was a squad of ShinRa troopers strung out in a thin line across the track, and in front was a slim, blonde-haired woman wearing a familiar blue suit.

Cutting the throttle, I held up my hand to warn the others while our machine glided to a noisy halt a short distance from the Turk, who was tapping her booted foot on the packed snow. "What do _you_ want?" I demanded.

"It's the end of the line."

"Oh, yeah?"

"ShinRa's orders – but I'm gonna enjoy this," the woman sneered. "You took out my boss, and you're gonna pay!"

"Your boss… you mean Tseng? At the Temple of the Ancients? That wasn't us - that was Sephiroth."

"_Liar_."

Shrugging, I took a firm grip on the throttle with one hand and reached back with the other to poke Tifa's leg; hopefully she realized what I had in mind, or things were gonna get messy. "When Tseng wakes up, he'll tell you the same thing."

"Don't try to act innocent!" the woman shrieked, balling her fists. "You're gonna feel some pain for what you did!"

"Miss Elena! _Don't_…!" one of the troopers shouted, but she ran forward anyways, pulling back her arm to throw a punch.

"_Dammit_!" I muttered, preparing to open the throttle.

As Elena planted her feet and swung, Tifa rose in the footrests. Blocking Elena's strike, she threw her own punch, sending the other woman staggering. "_Go!_" she yelled, smacking my shoulder, then scrabbling a handful of my parka as we roared through the disintegrating line of troopers. Behind us, the crackle of Nanaki's flames was almost drowned out by a hail of gunfire from Barret that completely routed any opposition.

"We're going to make it!" Tifa yelled in my ear as I took us under the nose of the helicopter, within inches of its machine guns, and tore around a corner… then she nearly crushed me against the instrument display when I jammed on the brake. "What's the matter? Are you hurt?" she asked while we skidded to a stop and I tried to get back my breath.

"_That's_ the matter," I grunted, pointing ahead to where the flat track suddenly fell away. We had a stunning view over the valley and the tangled, crevassed wilderness of the Great Glacier beyond. In the hazy distance, a massive, forbidding wall of ice and rock heaved upwards. "That must be Gaea's Cliff," I murmured.

"_This_ must be the top of the downhill obstacle course," Tifa said, again standing up behind me to examine the more imminent challenge.

"How do you know _that_?" I demanded.

"There was a map of all the downhill runs printed on the back of the menu at the pub."

"Hmph. Did you happen to notice any details?"

"_Tons_ of obstacles all the way down."

"Change of plan." Sliding off the seat, I nudged her forward. "This is the throttle, and this is the brake. Don't apply both at once - that wouldn't be good."

"_What?_ You expect _me_ to…!"

"Don't screw up. I'm counting on you." One foot on the rest, one on the seat behind her, bracing my knee against her back, I drew my sword. Taking a firm grip on Tifa's shoulder, I ordered, "Don't think – just do it."

"Easy for _you_ to say. Yuffie, close your eyes and hang on tight."

"And try not to puke into the wind," I added.

Our green-gilled ninja managed an extremely rude gesture before the machine jerked forward as Tifa opened the throttle... and then we were into it so fast that there wasn't any time to think.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Throttle back!" I yelled into the headwind while taking out another one of those damn floating ducks. Tifa didn't answer, just hunched lower over the handlebars, fighting to maintain control of our machine as it hurtled down the steep slope towards yet another sharp corner. Throwing a quick glance behind to make sure Yuffie's sledge was still attached after that last jump – and that the brat was still _in_ it - I swiped my hand over my goggles to see what else the damn course designers had decided to throw at us.

Trees. A forest of effin' _trees_ planted in the middle of the track.

"Take as straight a line as possible through 'em!" I directed. "If you have to, pass on the left so I can cut 'em down."

A rapid nod of her head indicated she'd heard, and I sat down in a hurry as the first branches whistled over our heads. Stretching up to peer over Tifa's shoulder, I muttered a few choice words regarding the life-threatening hazards on a supposedly 'fun' downhill course as I locked my knees against the frame of the machine and took a firm grip on the hilt of my sword. Since it sliced through concrete without much problem back when we were chopping our way through the debris of Sector Seven, I hoped it could handle wood.

Tifa did a terrific job of threading us through the tightly-arranged trunks, but it appeared that we were picking up speed, which is not a good thing when you're playing chicken with immoveable objects. "Start braking – you're gonna lose control!"

"Do _you_ want to drive?" Tifa shouted back, clearly irritated.

Grinning, I squeezed her shoulder before again gripping my sword with both hands. Good thing, too, because it met its first tree a second after that and it was almost ripped out of my hands by the impact. Luckily I'd angled the blade and sent the falling tree crashing to the side, or it would've wiped out Yuffie – not to mention the rest of our team. A second later, we were in the clear and heading for the final curve towards what appeared to be a finish line.

I had a brief glimpse of another ShinRa chopper waiting just beyond it before we smashed through the guard rails on the side of the track.

I heard Tifa scream as the snow machine dropped from beneath us, but I gambled that she could fend for herself, because Yuffie couldn't. Twisting in mid-air, I managed to sever the hitch connecting the sledge to the machine, with intentions of riding down with her. Desperately reaching, I grabbed onto the curled edge of the sledge and pulled myself in. "It's okay, brat! I've got you!"

Yuffie let out a little squeak; her knuckles were white where she still held onto the rope that kept her in the sledge. For a split-second, I considered cutting it and pulling her out, but then decided that the sledge might absorb some of the impact when we finally hit the ground… which was coming up _extremely_ fast. Trying to pick out a marker as we tumbled through the air, I threw my sword away because I didn't fancy being spiked on it; I had a quick glimpse of it disappearing into the upper branches of a tree before the shit hit the fan.

Or rather, we hit a tree.

The snow-covered branches absorbed some of the impact, but they also hurt like hell as we crashed through them. We were buffeted and knocked, scratched and bruised, and sent into a tailspin until we bounced off one tree and were pitched into another that creaked alarmingly. Sliding down the branches, we dropped almost twenty feet to the ground… and then the snow swallowed us.

The sensation of being buried alive is going to stay with me for a very long time.

When we finally stopped moving, I couldn't tell which direction was up, and not simply because my neck was bent on an uncomfortable angle due to my head being jammed into a corner of the sledge. The snow made the eeriest crinkling sounds as it moved and settled, trapping us more firmly with each passing second. My elbows were pinned close to my sides, but at least Yuffie and I were somewhat protected from being crushed by the battered but still-intact sledge. However, I quickly found out that my arm was broken when I tried to claw away the loose snow that had filtered between us.

The pain blanked nearly everything for a few seconds, until I realized that somewhere nearby, Tifa was probably buried and possibly broken - and _alone_.

_Shit._

I wondered if Ifrit could melt the snow, then remembered that I'd given all my Summon materia to Tifa.

_Damn._

A frightened sound brought me back to the situation at hand. "You okay?" I asked Yuffie, my voice strangely muffled by the white walls pressing in on us. Wriggling my other hand free, I brushed away the snow and fur until I could see her face. She only looked at me with wide, frightened eyes, her lower lip quivering. "Hey… it'll be all right. Bet the others are already looking for us." In the enclosed space, I easily heard her racing heart beat; not willing to let her experience a full-blown panic attack, I pressed my fingers to her lips. "C'mon, brat – breathe. Nice and slow… in through your nose, out through your mouth… that's it. They'll find us any minute now."

Focussing on keeping Yuffie calm kept me from freaking out as the snow's grip became vise-like and made my own breathing painful. Cracked ribs were also a possibility, but I needed my arm healed if I was going to have half a chance of at least creating a bigger airspace while we waited for the others; I refused to admit to the possibility that they were also in trouble and hoping we'd be rescuing _them_. "Yuffie, can you reach your materia?"

"Y-yes," she whispered.

"I need a shot of Cure for my arm. Can you do that for me?"

Nodding, she worked her hand free, the materia in her glove already glowing. "Which one?"

"The left." When she reached for my right arm, I grinned. "No, the _other_ left."

"S-sorry."

"No problem. Give my ribs a once-over, too." When she was done, I said, "Bet you're bruised like a rainbow – let me fix you up." When I'd returned the favour, I experimentally flexed my shoulders and discovered that mako – or Jenova – enhancements are powerless against a couple of tons of compacted snow. Growling quietly, I tried pushing back again, with the same result – or lack of it. "Do you happen to have a Fire materia?"

"N-no. T-tifa h-has it."

"That's good; she can melt her way out if she's stuck." Mentally cursing our lack of the same materia, I tried to think of another plan while the relentless cold seeped through my clothing… until a tiny anguished noise, similar to those little sounds very small kittens make when they want their mama, caught my attention. "C'mon – don't cry. It makes me feel even worse."

Yuffie whimpered and pressed her forehead against my chest, her entire body shivering, and I realized it was from a combination of fear and cold. Awkwardly petting her hair, I let her be scared for both of us, because otherwise I might lose it, too. I didn't know if we were upright or horizontal; the blood wasn't rushing to my ears, so I guessed we weren't upside-down, which would have _really_ sucked. However, was the surface above us, below us or to the side? Not that I could dig us free, anyways; the icy snow continued pressing in on us and my body was starting to go numb.

_Dammit._

Is this how it was going to end?

_No effing way._

A droplet of water caught my eye; it hung on the sledge's rim, growing fatter and more turgid with each passing second. Either snowmelt or condensation, it might prove the key to our salvation and I waited anxiously for gravity to show us the way.

It was an agonizing few seconds, but when the drop finally kicked loose, I nearly cheered because it trickled almost straight down, which meant we were vertical, with the surface above our heads. We still might be twenty feet down, but it was a source of hope. With renewed determination, I shoved my fist upwards and started grinding away at our icy tomb with the studs embedded in my glove. The friction melted the snow, and my clothing grew even more saturated and cold, but I kept at it until I noticed that Yuffie had gone quiet… and my breathing was more laboured than it should be.

"Hey, brat – say something." Instead, she slipped down inside the sledge and when I tried to pull her back up, black spots cavorted through my vision.

_Shit._

We were running out of air.

Panic makes people lose their head and do stupid, futile things, such as screaming.

I wasn't panicking; I was _frustrated_. There's a difference. Anyways, that's why I didn't notice the snow softening over our heads, nor hear the sounds of digging until a metal rod nearly broke my neck when it drove into my shoulder. Despite the pain, when the rod withdrew and the unmistakeable waft of cigarette smoke filtered down along with fresh air, I could've kissed Cid.

Sucking in lungfuls of sweet, sweet air, I twisted until I could squint up the hole. All I saw at first was black, and then discerned a flaring nostril. The nose was quickly replaced by a golden eye; Nanaki yelped in delight before calling through the tube, "I am going to melt the snow, so cover your head, Cloud-san."

"Hurry," I shouted. Tucking back under the rim of the sledge, I vigorously shook Yuffie's shoulder. "Wake up, brat. We're almost out." She remained unresponsive, so I grabbed hold of her parka and dragged her upright just as I was drenched by a veritable torrent of meltwater and suddenly there was grey sky overhead.

"Cloud-san! Are you all right?"

"Mostly. Yuffie's in bad shape, though."

"I dare not use Fire in such close quarters; bear with me." Nanaki pulled massive pawfuls of snow away from my shoulders and as the icy grip loosened, I leaned back, away from the sledge, until I could hook my hands under Yuffie's arms and raise her high enough for someone else to grab. A shadow fell over me, and Vincent pulled her free.

"Where's Tifa?" I demanded urgently.

"We are attempting to extract her," he replied, which only told me that she'd been found, but not if she was _alive_.

"T-san was not buried as deeply as you and Yuffie-kun, but it was harder to locate her," said Nanaki from behind me as Vincent shifted our ninja in his arms and disappeared over the edge of a fairly impressive excavation that I estimated was at least eighteen feet deep.

"Why was that?" My guts knotted viciously.

"She was only a single person instead of two, and her heat and scent markers vanished more quickly as a result."

"_Is she alive?_"

He didn't immediately answer, just kept diligently clearing snow. "Yuffie-kun has the Phoenix Down, correct?"

I ground my teeth, because it isn't polite to snarl at the kind person digging your freezing ass out of a snowy sink-hole. "Nanaki…."

"I am sorry, Cloud-san. I mistakenly followed the scent of the buried snow machine, which cost us valuable time in locating her."

Reaching behind me, I grabbed him around his furry neck in a one-armed hug. "Knock off the apologies. You found her, we have Phoenix Down – no worries."

He stoically endured the embrace before continuing to free my legs; the pins and needles were already starting. "There are complications. We must quickly find shelter and procure dry fuel for a fire. T-san may be saved from suffocation, but could still succumb to the effects of hypothermia." With a last effort, Nanaki cleared the final bit of concrete-like snow locking my boots in place. "Bring the furs, please. All sources of warmth will be required." Making a bag out of one fuzzy blanket, I shoved the other skins inside it, and with Nanaki's assistance, I awkwardly crawled out of the steep-sided, ice-slick hole. "This way."

"How the _hell_ did you sniff us out?" I asked incredulously, peering back down into the depths.

"The rest of us were able to stop in time to avoid following you over the edge. Vincent-san and I watched from above so we were able to considerably narrow our search area. Do not stray from our footprints, or you will again slip into the much softer snow around the trees."

"Did you see a ShinRa chopper?"

"Barret-san and Vincent-san drove it off."

As I followed him, I realized that we were a considerable distance out on the Glacier itself and that the 'forest' we'd landed in wasn't _exactly_ a forest in the strictest sense of the word. At some point, there had been an avalanche that carried part of a forest down onto the Glacier's surface, and it was now a tangled maze of frozen wood. However, it was lucky we crashed where we did, because only fifty feet away from Yuffie's and my hole was a plunging crevasse, lined in blue-green ice. When Nanaki began moving across an ice bridge, I waited until he crossed before following because I didn't want to risk both of us falling should it give way.

It was stupidly deep. _Shiva_.

I sped up as soon as I reached the other side and spotted Barret leaning over one of the sledges. Vincent, minus his cloak, was seated on one of the two remaining snow machines hidden under the skimpy shelter provided by a massive deadfall. I did a double-take on the way past when I realized the garment was wrapped around Yuffie, and he was holding her like a fragile piece of china. "She okay?"

"Much improved," he replied. "Her lips are no longer blue."

"Here." I handed him one of the fur blankets. "Every bit helps."

Barret acknowledged my presence and stepped back, tucking the case of Phoenix Down inside his coat. "She's breathin'," he grunted. "Gotta get her outta those wet clothes, tho'. You, too," he added.

I spread the remaining blankets over her and tucked them in. Brushing Tifa's bangs away from her face, I fought down a wave of panic because she was completely unresponsive, her skin pale and cold to the touch. "The Glacier is no place to camp, and there's a blizzard coming in."

"We still got a couple hours o' daylight."

"ShinRa's on the prowl, so a fire isn't a good idea." Racking my brain for ideas, I said, "Tifa has a Fire materia on her somewhere; see if you can't do something for her and Yuffie with it."

"Yo, boss!" On the other side of the clearing, Cid waved his lance. "Betcha want yer pig-sticker back."

"You found it?"

"Bring the cording in my knapsack – don't you fuck with my fucking tea canister!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," I muttered, reluctantly leaving Tifa's side. Holding my breath against the reek of stale smoke, I carefully searched through the pilot's neatly-packed bag. The thin coil of braided cord was hung from an inner loop with a couple of fancy rope-knots.

Huh. Didn't know Cid had any hobbies other than cursing, smoking and making battery acid, er, tea.

"Too bad the kid is outta commission," Cid grumped, sizing me up and down as I handed over the cord. "Gonna be tough hauling yer ass plus that goddamn sword outta that fucking crevasse."

"Yuffie couldn't lift it anyways. Lower me down and I'll bring it up in stages."

"That'll work."

We trekked through the dead forest, the frozen timber snapping and popping as the mile of ice beneath us ponderously shifted. "How did you locate it?" I asked, when the ominous sounds became too oppressive.

"Wasn't fucking easy. Under here." Ducking beneath a massive fallen trunk, we squeezed through a narrow passage between two other toppled giants and discovered a large, jagged hole in the glacier's crust.

"You're kidding me, right?" I said in disbelief.

"Nope. 'Bout a hundred feet down, I reckon," Cid replied, loosening the coil with a practiced snap. Rapidly knotting a loop, he tossed it my way. "Step inta this an' over ya go."

"_Shit_." Obeying, I slid the loop over my boot, wrapped a length around my hand and edged towards the hole. Sitting down, I peered between my dangling feet and located the familiar profile of my weapon far enough below that it looked like a toy.

That wasn't the worst of it; the crack was even deeper. The only reason the sword wasn't at the bottom was because it had jammed crosswise – which also meant that we couldn't stay topside and fish for it with a loop.

"Okay, boss – ready when you are." Cid had wrapped the other end of the rope once around a tree and taken up most of the slack.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed off and dropped about ten feet before the rope tightened. Cid started swearing, but it sounded like his usual level of complaint instead of an emergency one, and since I remained in place, swinging gently against the eerily beautiful ice walls, I assumed he had things under control.

"Goin' down!"

My descent was more or less controlled and fairly rapid; there was one spot where the ice walls curved away on both sides and I ended up spinning in mid-air for about twenty feet. That wasn't so great, and I wondered how I was going to make the ascent easier for Cid. I might be on the short and slender side for a guy, but I'm not a complete lightweight and my sword weighs at least half as much as I do.

When I reached my blade a minute or two later, I discovered that it was _very_ thoroughly jammed into the rock-hard ice. Ever try to wriggle free an immoveable object with one hand while holding onto what amounts to a string with the other? Yeah – a little tough to get any leverage. It took several minutes of creative cursing to free it, all the while being highly conscious of the several hundred feet of crevasse yawning beneath my boots. Once it was safely in my hand, I considered how best to do this. It was one helluva long way up, ShinRa was lurking, there was a storm coming and my best friend's life was in danger, so no pressure.

Right.

Reaching up above my head, I rammed the tip of the blade into the blue-green wall. "_Pull!_" The resulting yank brought me just above the hilt; I reached down, tugged it free and again drove it into the ice above my head. The entire manoeuvre was easier said than done, considering I was suspended on the end of a quivering, flexible rope, but I managed – at least until I reached the spot where the crevasse widened. "Cid! You're gonna have to pull the combined weight 'cause I can't reach the sides!"

"No problem, boss."

I wondered how he managed to sound almost cheery, but figured I'd find out soon enough as the distance between me and the surface continued to lessen with reassuring speed. I was about ten feet below the edge when there was a warning shout; driving the sword into the crevasse wall, I managed to swing myself onto the flat of the blade just before the rope slackened.

Straining my ears, I listened to Cid's yells punctuated by loud howls and wondered what the _hell_ was going on. Snow and ice shards shook loose and rained down on me; I was glad for the protection offered by my hooded parka. There was a crackling blast that certainly _sounded_ like one of Nanaki's fire attacks and then a high-pitched yelp was brutally cut off, before the rope tightened so fast that I nearly ended up hanging upside down by my boot. Grabbing my sword, I held on for dear life as I was yanked up over the edge of the hole and unhappily discovered that we had more than just hypothermia and ShinRa to worry about. "What the _hell_ is that?"

Nanaki ceased circling the smoking carcass. "I believe it is known as a Bandersnatch, and I suspect they travel in packs. We must hurry back to the others."

"_Goddammit_ - is there any good news?" Cid snarled, carefully coiling his rope.

"Yeah. We can't get lost," I said, settling my sword on my back.

"How's that?"

"Because my Sephi-radar keeps pulling north."

"At least the fucking asshole's good for _somethin_'."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

A few hours later, the situation was definitely much worse. We'd found our way out of the tangled maze of the ruined forest only to be spotted by a ShinRa chopper. Making a run for it with only two operating snow machines and two team members down for the count wasn't a great decision, but it was the only reasonable one open to us at the time. Tifa and Yuffie had been packed into the two remaining sledges; Nanaki had somehow managed to activate and control the Fire materia using his own magic and the heated orb was tucked into the fur blankets over Tifa's chest while he cuddled with Yuffie in the other sledge. Cid drove one machine, while Barret and I led on the other; Vincent scouted ahead.

I'll admit to another moment of screaming frustration – inside my head – when Barret confided that there was only one Phoenix Down left. The spike of despair I felt was immediately followed by a brittle cackle as Sephiroth apparently enjoyed the situation; I mentally told him what he could do with the Masamune. Shoving the possibility of having to choose between Tifa's or Yuffie's lives into the back of my mind, I concentrated on staying out of crevasses while searching for cover.

We only lost the shadowing chopper for good when the wind picked up in the late afternoon and blowing snow became a problem for both the aircrew and us. Cid's rope came in handy again; we tied the snow machines together so we wouldn't become separated in the near-whiteout conditions. We were trying to reach what Vincent thought was a snow cave in a humped-up section of the surface ice when the blizzard hit.

And then the Bandersnatches began harrying us.

I pulled my Ifrit materia out of Tifa's knapsack, because the creatures' reactions to Nanaki's fire attacks made it clear they were vulnerable to the element, but after the first couple of charges were repulsed by him alone, they never showed themselves in a big enough pack to make Summoning worthwhile. Instead, they would lurk in twos and threes, their glowing eyes the only thing visible in the murk just before they lunged out of the storm. The sledge carrying Tifa was their main target, probably because they thought they could sense an easy meal. The first ones who tried got bellyfuls of lead courtesy of Barret, and then Nanaki finished them off from his position in the second sledge.

They almost took out Cid when we had to go single-file over an ice bridge, but Vincent appeared out of the howling storm and blew away the attackers. "We're almost there!" he shouted over the wind, but I got lost in the whirling snowflakes and we ended up in a box canyon, hemmed in on three sides by ice-covered monoliths. When we turned around, the pack was waiting, their slavering jaws visible in the fitful light of the snow machines' lamps.

Fumbling for the Ifrit materia, I pulled down my cowl to tell the others to stay back when abruptly, the Bandersnatches vanished in a massive wall of flame that lit up the snowscape with fantastical shadows… and utterly destroyed our night vision. Vincent was the only one apparently unaffected; while the rest of us cursed and fell back, he strode forward with his gun in his hand.

Three close-set points of light appeared out of the blowing snow, moving inexorably towards us. Vincent allowed it to approach until it arrived in our headlights, revealing a squat, heavy-set figure wearing a large-barrel flamethrower and a tank on its back, which showed how the Bandersnatches had been vanquished. Gloved hands pulled back a battered leather hood, revealing a shock of white hair, a powerful triple-lens headlamp and thick goggles above an even thicker moustache.

"You the Strife Party?"

Hearing my name out of a complete stranger's mouth in the middle of a blizzard was too much. While I gaped, Barret growled, "Who wants ta know?"

"You have injured, right?"

"Maybe," Cid snapped. "Who the hell are ya?"

"Gerhard Holzoff, at your service." He bowed awkwardly in his heavy gear. "You'd better come with me if you wish to save your companions' lives."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	14. Iced

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly upset.

**A/N:**Fiddling with the interior architecture of Holzoff's cabin and giving him an expanded back story to explain his comfortable home, allegedly built by one man in a land of perpetual snow in the original game.

For all the readers anxiously wondering when Girl!Tifa will return, rest assured that she will. Eventually. C'mon – y'all know what's going to happen in the classic storyline, right? Might as well spice things up a little!

**Warnings:**Coarse language, violence.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful, good-natured betas Kitsune13/Tam Lin and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Fourteen: Iced**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

As we followed Holzoff and his sputtering trail of flares, I'll admit to being equal parts impressed with and suspicious of the level of his preparations; he'd obviously been doing rescues for a while. His wide-bodied snow machine looked quite a bit like the Buggy, but it had long, wide tracked wheels that were designed to cross all but the broadest crevasses without the need for ice bridges, and the custom-designed rescue pods lining its interior were nothing short of ingenious.

Tifa and Yuffie had been stripped out of their wet parkas and bundled into two of the pods; the integral heating units immediately began circulating warm water heated by the engine through what looked like a hot water bottle sandwich, surrounding them in penetrating warmth. Luckily Yuffie was out cold, or her motion sickness would've added another layer of misery.

By common consent – and to address our security concerns - Nanaki and Cid rode inside the snow buggy with Holzoff; Vincent, Barret and I followed on the snow machines. If Holzoff chugged across a crevasse, Vincent looked for the closest ice bridge that we could use, then guided us back to the flares. The blizzard had intensified to the point that even the Bandersnatches had gone back to their dens; the only risk we faced was the weather.

I have no idea how long it took to reach Holzoff's cabin; all I know is that I was close to half-frozen by the time we arrived. The flares ended just at the edge of the pools of light thrown by several powerful flood lights that illuminated a substantial structure, and as Holzoff approached, a hanger-like door slid open in one end of the building. He drove his machine right inside and then popped out to energetically wave us forward. I let Barret precede me, still not one hundred percent sure that I trusted the old fart – but even more pissed off that we didn't really have any options.

The motors had barely died when the door slid closed and interior lights came on – and I saw the ShinRa crest on the rear quarter-panel of Holzoff's machine. Elbowing Barret, I indicated the evidence with a jerk of my head; he nodded… but there didn't seem to be any squads of troopers or worse, Turks, leaping out at us.

"Come along, come along! The quicker your friends receive treatment, the quicker they'll recover!" Holzoff urged. Vincent was already inside the snow Buggy, extracting Yuffie out of the one pod with Cid's help; I beckoned Barret forward to collect Tifa, because I wanted to have fast access to my sword if necessary. Watching through the door as he opened the pod, I changed my mind and scrambled inside.

Shiva, she looked _terrible_. Her breathing was so shallow that there was no way her body was getting enough oxygen, which would explain her grayish tint, and despite the warming she'd received on the trip, she was still cool to the touch.

"She's a long drink o' water right now, an' I only got one hand," Barret gruffly said. "I'd have to sling 'er over m'shoulder, an' that wouldn't be good."

"Cover me."

"Don' have ta tell me twice, Spiky."

Lifting Tifa's limp form into my arms, I hustled after the others with Barret bringing up the rear. Inside the heavy wooden door – no locks – Nanaki directed me up a flight of stairs to a dormitory. Cid stood aside to let me pass, then mumbled, "We gotta problem, boss. You and Vinnie can deal with it."

"Huh?"

"Put him here," Holzoff said to me, pulling back the blankets on the bed next to the one already occupied by Yuffie. "He needs to have his wet clothing removed for the heating system to warm him most effectively." Glancing at Vincent, who was hesitating over Yuffie, he ordered, "There is no time for false modesty – their recovery is reliant on speed." Shoving a large basket in my direction, he added, "Put their clothing in this."

Once Holzoff bustled down the stairs, Vincent muttered in dire tones, "We have no choice; Cure does not seem to work on their condition."

"And we have only one Phoenix Down left." Laying Tifa on the bed, I set my jaw and began removing her uniform, starting with her boots. I kept my back to Vincent, and after a few moments, I heard the sounds of buckles opening. At least Yuffie's a tiny little thing despite her complicated outfit; it took some doing to manhandle Tifa out of her harness and belts and sweater. Her trousers were no problem, but I hesitated over her boxers. They were soaked through and left nothing to the imagination, so I quickly stripped them off while trying not to look at anything that would embarrass the hell out of Tifa – and probably earn me a right hook to the jaw - when she woke up.

Kindly drag all of your minds out of the gutter, because the first time that I managed to get Tifa naked _and_ in a bed, she's the wrong gender and unconscious.

Sometimes, it absolutely _sucks_ to be me.

Carefully tucking the oddly-bulky quilt around Tifa, I asked over my shoulder, "Done yet?"

"Yes, and I hope that I will not be required to do something like this again." Vincent actually sounded stressed – but I figured that even if he did have to take off her clothes for any reason, Yuffie probably wouldn't mind that much, judging by the mooning she was doing back at the pub.

Holzoff came back at that moment. "Good, good. Now to plug them in." Before I could ask any questions, he flipped two switches on a control panel. The thick quilts covering the girls began glowing and he hummed with satisfaction.

"What _is_ that?" I demanded.

"Special heating units that will encourage circulation and slowly warm their core temperatures. I designed them myself to reverse the effects of hypothermia."

"You've done this before," I dryly commented.

"Twenty years and counting, Herr Strife. Join us for a meal in the common room; your comrades won't be waking up for a few hours, at the very least." Taking up the basket full of wet clothing, he disappeared back down the stairs.

"I will remain here," Vincent said, seating himself on the foot of another bed with a clear view of both girls and the stairwell.

Nodding, I headed down; Nanaki was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. "You should see this, Cloud-san," he murmured. With a deep sniff, obviously checking on Holzoff's location within the building, he led me down a short corridor. Nudging the second door ajar with his nose, he stood aside.

Checking again over my shoulder, I peered inside a small office. On the wall above a desk holding a short-wave radio unit with the ShinRa logo on the side was a labelled map of the Great Glacier. "This could be trouble," I muttered.

"I do not think so, Cloud-san. His scent is remarkably clear – content, even. I have not detected any sort of dark intentions." Pointing with his paw, he added, "This leads to the common room."

I was about to check out the indicated room when a voice behind us said, "Herr Strife? Out of those wet clothes – they're not doing you any good, either." Reluctantly facing our erstwhile host, I propped my sword against the wall and shrugged out of my clammy parka, feeling strangely exposed without it. Holzoff quickly assessed me, disappeared into the first door opening off the corridor and came out with some dark garments in his hands.

I shook my head. "I have a change of clothing in my knapsack."

"Which is also guaranteed to be soaking wet from the snow. Bring them to me, and I'll see to it that they are dried as well. Your teammates have already surrendered theirs."

While Holzoff's choice of the word 'surrender' put me a little on edge, he seemed sincere enough. I glanced at Nanaki; he inclined his head, and I obeyed.

"Change in here." He showed me into the narrow room, revealing shelves well-stocked with trousers and zip-neck sweaters, all made of the same thick, soft material. I had a feeling that if I looked, all the labels would have the ShinRa logo on them, too. Quickly stripping out of my gear, I donned the clothing and discovered that they definitely beat damp wool for comfort. When I emerged, Holzoff took my things and disappeared again.

"I took the liberty of emptying your knapsack," Nanaki said. "Everything of importance is still inside."

"What about Tifa's bag?" I asked, thinking of a few items in there that _I_ knew about but nobody else needed to.

"I have not touched it, and I do not believe anyone else has, either."

"I'll deal with it." I found the bags piled at the foot of the stairs; assuming that Barret and Cid had already dealt with their property, I emptied Tifa's and Yuffie's... and was surprised to find that _all_ of the materia in Yuffie's possession were actually _supposed_ to be there. Apparently the brat had truly reformed. My eye was caught by one glowing orb in particular, and I couldn't stifle a dismayed curse. I _completely_ forgot that Aerith had a Heal materia; we could've tried the Esuna spell to fix up the girls.

Too late now. We were in the clutches of the most jovial – and possibly sincere – ShinRa employee on the Planet.

"Is that all of it?"

"Yeah – I guess."

Holzoff wagged his finger at me. "Your scowl is almost as impressive as your sword, Herr Strife, but there is no need for either here. Your party members are safe and the meal is ready – feel free to help yourself."

Surprised by his forthright manner, I mumbled, "Um, thanks," and beat a retreat to the common room, where I found Nanaki sniffing both the teapot and the food before giving his approval.

As Barret and Cid dug in with enthusiasm, Nanaki noticed my querying look. "If the food has been drugged, it is with one that completely escapes my ability to detect it."

"So you think Holzoff's all right?"

"I am prepared to vouch for his scent, anyways."

Cid looked up from his bowl and tossed me a crusty bun. "I've said it before – you worry too much, boss. 'Sides, with that blizzard howlin' out there, ain't nobody gonna show up to try an' arrest us."

"Fine. Pass the ladle."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The soup went down real well, and my suspicions were mostly laid to rest when Holzoff joined us and served himself a bowlful out of the same pot. He also had a cup of tea from the same kettle, so Nanaki's confidence in him appeared well-founded. The old man then earned my undying gratitude by politely directing Cid to the hanger if he wanted to smoke.

"How long ya bin here?" Barret rumbled, sitting back with a satisfied expression when Cid had grumbled off with fairly good grace.

"Twenty years, Herr Wallace," Holzoff answered, pouring himself another cup of tea. "Would you like to hear my story?"

Nanaki and I exchanged glances. "Definitely."

"Thirty years ago, my best friend Yamski and I attempted to climb Gaea's Cliff. They said it couldn't be done, that the monsters rumoured to inhabit the area would finish us off before we could even reach the base of the Cliff, but all the naysayers only encouraged us to train harder. After months of preparation, we set out, full of confidence and youthful spirits.

"How'd ya cross the Glacier?"

"That was the easy part," he chuckled, settling more comfortably into his chair. "ShinRa flew regular patrols over the Glacier and I befriended the aircrew when they stayed over in Icicle Inn – easy enough to do that when you own a well-stocked bar. I called in a few favours, and they dropped us off at the base of the Cliff. Oh, we thought we were too clever by half."

"Things didn't go as planned?" I commented, wondering why his expression became solemn.

"We forgot one tiny thing in our calculations," he quietly answered. "The bitterly cold winds that swirl around the Cliff rapidly took their toll. Yamski and I had roped ourselves together for safety on the ascent; at some point during our ordeal, he cut his own rope and I didn't even notice because of my own battle with hypothermia. To this day, his body remains missing."

"So ya lost yer best friend. Sorry ta hear it." Barret moved uncomfortably, and I knew he was thinking of the loss – twice over – of his best friend, Dyne.

"Thank you, Herr Wallace," Holzoff said, with great dignity. "Not only that, but I also lost my honour. Even as a ShinRa patrol plucked me, frost-bitten and raving, from the side of the Cliff, I swore I would one day return and avenge both Yamski's death and my defeat by conquering the Cliff."

"How long did it take ya?" I let Barret lead the questions, because I was working on another bowl of soup.

"Ten years. There were detours, of course. I married, and with my wife expanded the bar into a full-fledged inn. Running it occupied much of my time."

"The Gasthaus Holzoff," I said, suddenly putting two and two together. "Nice place."

"Ah, you've seen my wife then? Is she well?"

"Seemed all right. Misses you, though," I said, remembering her tears.

He pulled on the ends of his moustache. "A fine, fine woman... but she was never happy knowing that my heart belonged to the Cliff."

Barret arched his eyebrow. "Can't see _any_ woman o' spirit playin' second fiddle to a mountainside."

"Not just _any_ mountainside – according to legend, this is the place where, long ago, an extraterrestrial object fell to the earth. Gaea's Cliff is part of a massive impact crater."

"Jenova," I said. "ShinRa called the object 'Jenova'."

Holzoff tilted his head like an inquisitive spaniel. "Interesting. I've never heard that."

"ShinRa has plenty of secrets," I commented darkly. "So, how did you end up back here?"

Giving me a searching look, Holzoff said, "ShinRa made me an offer I didn't want to refuse. While running the guesthouse, ShinRa approached me to keep an eye on things in Icicle Inn for them. You know – who came to town, who left, who stayed, for how long – that sort of thing."

Sweet Shiva, he was a community informer. Holzoff was one of those busybody types; every town has at least one. ShinRa co-opted decent people like him into their web of betrayal and had him collect information on his neighbours, probably never realizing to what use his scribbled notes and innocent observations would be put. I wondered how many of the townspeople of Icicle Inn had mysteriously disappeared over the years due to Holzoff's unwitting assistance.

Oblivious to my appalled reaction, Holzoff continued, "When Professor Gast Faremis came to town, he was my special charge. I expect that you've heard of him? He was a famous renegade scientist."

"That what ShinRa tol' ya?" Barret rumbled in a dangerous tone.

"Yes, of course," Holzoff answered, plainly confused by the charged atmosphere; behind his back, I signalled to Barret to stand down. The big man glared, but obeyed as Holzoff continued, "It's not every day you meet a beautiful woman like Ifalna – she was truly someone special. Professor Faremis was plainly smitten; I hoped that with her influence, he would settle down and perhaps return to working on ShinRa projects that would be of benefit to the Planet."

Holzoff really needed to quit singing ShinRa's praises, because I could see the red coming up in Barret's eyes. Attempting an intervention, I said, "Even _you_ worked for ShinRa at one time, Barret," and the big man mercifully subsided, but Shiva – if looks could kill, I would've been a pile of charred tissue.

Cid stomped in at that moment and unknowingly saved the situation. "What the fuck makes a man take a fucking job in a godforsaken place like this?" he demanded, warming himself in front of the fire. "Fucking cold enough to fucking freeze the fucking balls off a fucking mythril monkey!"

Holzoff stood up and graciously poured Cid's tea; the next part of the story was obviously his favourite. "It was the opportunity of a lifetime, Herr Highwind! More climbers were challenging the Cliff in bigger parties, and after a particularly bad year with almost a dozen deaths, ShinRa constructed this rescue station and appointed me to man it." Throwing another log into the fireplace and a smaller one into the stove, he busied himself for a few moments stirring pots and bringing another kettle of water to a boil. In the ensuing silence, we heard a chime from the direction of the radio room. "Ah, excuse me – duty calls."

He bustled off down the corridor, and after a couple of seconds, I slipped off my boots and followed in sock feet. Nanaki came with me, soundless on his paws, and we carefully eased up to the door just in time to hear him say, "Gaea Station - Holzoff."

Even over the crackle of static, the smooth tones of the speaker were instantly recognizable; Nanaki stepped on my foot as Reeve Tuesti asked, "Did you find them?"

"Yes, and in the nick of time, too. But - your message said it was a party of eight; there are only seven."

I heard the concern in Reeve's voice as he said, "They must have met with some misadventure." Since Cait Sith ceased to exist at the Temple of the Ancients after Tifa changed genders, but before Aerith died, it stood to reason that Reeve had no clue as to what had happened to our mage.

Holzoff went back to business. "Are you sending the chopper to pick them up tomorrow?"

"No. It was required elsewhere."

"I cannot believe that these people are planning to climb the Cliff! In all my years, I have never seen a party so completely unprepared!"

"I have every confidence that your expertise will give them the best possible chance of success."

There was a heavy sigh. "I will do my best, but honestly! Amateurs should be prevented from these attempts – especially if the chopper isn't available for rescue operations."

"Do you require any supplies?"

"More fuel for the generator, milk, cheese and eggs would be appreciated."

"Noted."

"Oh, can you add another one of those gentlemen in black to my daily report? I spotted him on the Cliff just before the blizzard struck."

There was a long moment of static-filled silence. "I will mention it. Thank you, Holzoff."

"My pleasure, sir. Gaea Station out."

Nanaki and I scuttled back down the corridor and slid across the common room's wood floor to sit innocently in front of the fire before Holzoff returned. "My apologies for the interruption. More tea?"

"I'm curious about the best way to climb the Cliff – you mentioned the extreme weather hazards in terms of wind and cold. Is there anything else?" I asked.

"When I was a boy, there were rumours of monsters inhabiting the Cliff. There are caves at higher elevations which may harbour creatures, but I am a climber, not a fighter." He cast a glance at my sword. "I avoided exploring the caves in favour of marking an exterior route."

"What's the highest point that you reached?"

"Approximately two-thirds of the way up," he said proudly. "Most climbers only make it half-way before requiring retrieval." Turning his mug in his hands, Holzoff continued, "I am concerned that your preparations are inadequate to the demands of the climb."

While I admired his diplomatic phrasing, Barret rumbled, "Can't do nothin' 'bout it. We gotta job ta do, an' it happens t'be on the other side o' the Cliff."

"I had hoped that the helicopter would be available to ferry you up to the top, but unfortunately, it is required elsewhere."

"We're used to doing things the hard way," I said amiably. Nanaki stretched out on his side and rested his head on my lap, the very picture of domesticity; I scratched between his ears, avoiding with some difficulty all the hardware clipped into his mane.

"This is more like the suicidal way," Holzoff persisted. "I am concerned for your survival."

"Jus' tell us how to reach the top," Barret said. "We'll figger it out from there."

"What's on the other side, anyways?" Cid wanted to know.

Holzoff adopted a pensive expression. "I have only glimpsed it once, from a helicopter, but it appeared to be a huge maze-like rock formation – and it glowed with a most unearthly light."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"You feel that Holzoff is trustworthy?"

"Yes, Vincent-san. He is entirely unaware of ShinRa's evil and believes them to be his honest benefactors."

"Hard to believe that such innocence regarding ShinRa still exists," the gunslinger commented.

"Mebbe he jus' _wants_ t' believe it," Barret grumbled, his ego obviously still stinging from my rebuke.

"Whatever. He saved our butts out there," I said, inspecting Tifa's face. Her skin colour was much better, and when I cupped my hand around the nape of her neck, she was warm to the touch, but there was a worrying rasp at the end of each breath. "We also now know that Reeve Tuesti is on our side – sort of."

"Ya didn't hear him come straight out and say so, though," Cid argued.

"He has to be careful. Can you imagine what would happen to him if Scarlet and Heidegger found out he'd switched teams?"

"Yeah, well – who was pilotin' the fucking chopper, then?"

Barret snickered. "Mebbe it was another toy cat!"

"Shiva save us from _that_," I muttered.

We were having a team meeting in the dormitory while sleet hammered against the windows; Holzoff had sent us upstairs with jugs of a straw-coloured concoction that he insisted would be necessary to rehydrate Tifa and Yuffie when they woke up. It appeared to be a type of salty honey tea; Nanaki had sniffed it thoroughly and declared it both harmless and probably beneficial. He was now lying across the top of the stairs, making sure our host wasn't eavesdropping. We'd already swept the room for bugs and found none.

"D'ya think that chopper was actually there t' help us?"

"If Reeve was behind its deployment, probably. However, since we'd just been jumped by Elena, I think we can be forgiven for assuming otherwise," I said.

"So we coulda been into it with Sephiroth already," Barret mused.

"Not with Tifa and Yuffie out of commission like this." I glanced down as Tifa twitched in her sleep; the diffuse light of the oil lamps softened her features until she looked almost feminine. Almost, but not quite.

Nanaki let out a low woof and stood up; we all instantly fell silent as Holzoff came up the stairs with a basket full of clothing. "You're welcome to wear the loaners until you're ready to leave," he said, then briskly continued, "This storm may last for a day or two."

I frowned. "Somebody up in Icicle Inn said the blizzards only last overnight."

"They usually do... considering Icicle Inn's distance from the Cliff. Here, they can last much longer and are often more severe."

Barret grinned crookedly. "Hope you don' mind havin' us underfoot, if thas how it's gonna be."

Holzoff chuckled. "I'll put you to work so you won't get bored!" He checked on the girls and seemed satisfied with their rate of recovery. "They should wake up in another hour or two. Make sure they drink the tea." Turning to go, he added, "There are extra sets of loaners in the basket for your comrades. Good night."

We chorused our wishes for sweet dreams like good boys, and then sorted ourselves out for sleeping and sentry duty. Nanaki climbed up onto Yuffie's bed and snuggled against her uncharacteristically quiet form. "This way, she will not be disoriented when she awakens," he explained. "She is used to sleeping beside me."

Barret commandeered the bed closest to the stairs and gruffly announced that he was taking first watch, even though he didn't see much point in it since we outnumbered Holzoff and there was a wicked-ass storm raging outside that did a fine job of preventing ShinRa interference. Cid sprawled on the bed beside Vincent's perch; the pilot had earlier relieved the gunslinger of his solitary watch and sent him down for something to eat.

That left me; there was one bed still available, but I chose to bunk in with Tifa for much the same reason as Nanaki had snuggled up to Yuffie. Also, if she did wake up in the middle of the night and I had to get a couple of glasses of that tea into her, doing so from the convenience of the same mattress was a big draw. Folding a blanket in half lengthwise, I laid it alongside her glowing cocoon and squeezed onto the bed beside her. When we were all settled, Vincent ghosted around blowing out the lamps, except for the one on the table between Tifa's and Yuffie's beds; he turned that one down. I don't know about the others, but I fell asleep pretty damn fast despite the wind moaning around the eaves and my unquiet thoughts.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

I woke up in the dead of night, my heart pounding; it took several seconds to remember where I was and what I was doing here. In my dream, I was in the reactor, and had just driven my sword through Sephiroth's back, cracking the thick glass of the specimen tube. His silver head turned, fixing me with that ice-green eye, bright with insanity, demanding to know who _dared_... then I was gathering Tifa in my arms. Tifa, who lay contorted and still on the reactor floor at the base of the stairs, her hair covering her sweet face until I brushed it aside. She smiled, her voice soft... another voice broke in – who was that? - telling me to finish Sephiroth, that I was the only one who could... and then _pain-pain-pain_ as razor-sharp steel rammed through my chest... Sephiroth glaring... _what are you?_

Not your damn puppet, you rat bastard.

It took me a few moments to realize that I was thoroughly pinned, probably because it was Tifa doing the pinning. Just like the previous times when we'd shared a bed, she'd found her way onto my shoulder. The shadows emphasized the dark fans of her lashes against her pale cheeks and drew attention to the moist pout of her lips. However, the arm draped across my chest had more impressive musculature than I did, and the lean body pressing up against mine completely lacked any curves that I might be interested in.

Sighing a little, I carefully eased Tifa off my shoulder. Shifting onto my side, I examined her face in the dim light and was more than a little unnerved when I couldn't 'see' much of my Tifa in her angular features. A disturbing thought occurred to me at that point. What if the longer she remained male, the more likely it was that she would become more masculine? I hadn't been a girl long enough to develop an addiction to lipstick, but Tifa had been male for nearly a week now – long enough for the testosterone to start working on her. Leaning in, I sniffed the crook of her neck and instantly recoiled.

She smelled like a _guy_.

It wasn't a _bad_ smell, or anything, but it didn't appeal to me... which was a helluva problem when I had come to rely on Tifa's touch and her scent – among other things – to help me combat Sephiroth's influence. There was gonna be a whole lotta Elixers and Restore materia in my immediate future if Tifa had to resort to breaking my face every time I went 'green'. Thinking back to the last time she'd kissed me out of it, at the Forgotten City, I wasn't exactly sure how much the contact had stabilized me, or if I broke his hold on my own.

Completely perturbed by this revelation, I took myself and my blanket and decamped to the spare bed. It was a lot colder, sleeping on my own, and it seemed to take a long while for the bedding to warm up and I fell back asleep.

This time, I dreamed of Tifa wearing that sexy silk nightgown and my libido really went to town visualizing how I would slip her out of it in stages, slowly working it upwards to expose her long, slim legs. Kissing my way up towards the delicate skin of her inner thighs, she blushed and tried to keep my questing mouth away from her most sensitive flesh, but I caught her hands and held them while I moved the concealing fabric aside...

Even in the midst of a happily vivid dream, it didn't escape me that my sub-conscious definitely considered Tifa to be a woman. Then my mind wandered into wondering how things were going to play out if she continued to think like a female but began to react like a male... and the erotic imagery fizzled, to be replaced by the harsh sounds of someone hacking up a lung.

Tifa was doubled over, wracked by painful coughing that sounded like her throat was being stripped. Vincent thumped on her back – I randomly noted that he wasn't using his gauntleted hand – in an attempt to clear her airway. Just as I sat up for a closer look, something came loose with a particularly sharp sound. As Tifa desperately sucked in air before toppling over on her side, Nanaki sprang off of Yuffie's bed.

"Cloud-san! Do you have a Restore materia?"

"Yeah," I said, immediately getting up and rummaging for my gauntlet. Vincent moved back, allowing me to take over the physical comforting while Tifa continued wheezing like a winded Chocobo. I equipped the materia and she rolled partially onto her back, tilting up her chin. While humbled by her continued trust in me, her harsh breathing was worrisome; I lightly stroked the healing energy down her throat and over her chest. The whistling sounds eased somewhat, so I repeated the treatment... then noticed the trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth. "What's this about?" I demanded, wiping away the bright fluid.

Nanaki anxiously nosed at her clenched fist, going so far as to pin her wrist to the mattress with his paw when she resisted. "Show us, T-san," he growled, and I suspect she was so startled by the commanding tone that she obeyed. Her palm was decorated with red clots, but that wasn't the most worrying thing; instead, we focussed on the small, prickly lump that must've hurt like hell on the way up her throat. A pale green coating made the object resemble a weird pearl; Nanaki cautiously sniffed at it, laid his ears back and declared, "This has been inside your lung for some time, judging by the smell."

Nicking the lump out of her hand, I experimentally squeezed it between my thumb and forefinger. Resisting for only a moment before crumbling, it was a mix of greyish-white powder and shiny, minute flecks covered in mucous... and the stink was enough to make me cover my nose. "What _is_ this?"

Barret sat up in bed. "Is 'e coughing up dirt balls, Spiky?"

"Guess you could call them that. Come look."

"Dun hafta. Dirty white clumps with shiny bits in 'em – an' they smell like shit?"

"Yep."

"Spat up a coupla those m'self at the Ghost Inn," he rumbled, speculatively eyeing Tifa. "Jus' gotta wait until they work their way out – can' do nothin'."

"What are they?"

He grimaced. "Souvenir from Sector Seven, mebbe?"

On cue, Tifa coughed up another, smaller lump before lying very still, trying to catch her breath. I treated her to another round of Cure while considering Barret's suspicion. We had all been coated in powdered concrete, glass and metal that day; undoubtedly some made its way into our lungs. Hopefully not _too_ much. Vincent contributed several tissues and I wiped off both Tifa's and my hands, but I'd have to hit the bathroom to wash away the stench.

Nanaki poked through the basket and came back with a set of clothing. Tifa struggled upright and managed to don the pullover, but I stopped her from sliding back under the covers. "You gotta drink some of this." Pouring her a glass of Holzoff's tea, I handed it over, but ended up wrapping my hand around hers because it was trembling so badly. She sniffed the concoction and made a face, but gamely sucked it back.

"Can I lay down now?" she plaintively rasped.

"Nope. Not until you've drunk some more. You've been out cold for over twelve hours; you need to replenish your fluids."

Grimacing, she obeyed, and I let her collapse back onto the mattress after two more glassfuls. "Is Yuffie all right?"

The rawness in her voice made me flinch. "Yeah. She's sleeping."

"Where are we?"

"At the base of Gaea's Cliff, staying with a guy named Holzoff."

"Holzoff?"

"Turns out that old gal in Icicle Inn is his missus."

"Oh." Tifa shifted uncomfortably, then gave me a pleading look. "Lay down with me?"

"Tried that already – you hogged too much of the bed." Tucking her in, I tried to smile convincingly while avoiding meeting her bereft gaze. "Go back to sleep. If you have to piss, wake me up and I'll take you to the toilet. Put on some trousers first, though."

Nanaki watched our exchange with a quizzical expression. While I headed for the stairs, he climbed onto the mattress and snuggled up to Tifa. "I will keep you company until you fall asleep," he murmured. I couldn't hear her muffled reply, but it sounded like there may have been tears. Swearing at myself, I continued on my way to the bathroom.

There were night-lamps spaced along the hall so I didn't break my neck, and a shielded candle on the bathroom counter allowed me to see the bright green rimming my irises. "_Screw you_, Sephiroth," I muttered, thoroughly washing my hands. "I'll bet you think this is effin' _hilarious_." Before anyone caught me talking to myself, I dried my hands and made my way back along the corridor to the stairs.

It definitely sucked to be me. I _knew_ Tifa was a girl – and my sub-conscious was more than happy to torture me with imagery relating to that knowledge – but she looked, sounded and even _smelled_ like a guy... and I'm _not_ into guys.

What was I supposed to do? She was still my best friend, but I didn't feel comfortable in close proximity to her any more. But... if I pushed her away too much now, then what would happen to us when she was finally a girl again? I'd finally won her trust, and now stood to lose _everything_. If we were stuck here for a couple of days, I figured I'd try talking to her; otherwise, I would have to hope that her famously forgiving nature would cut me some slack until all this shit was over.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I noted that Nanaki was back on Yuffie's bed. Pausing, I studied Tifa's sleeping face; a lump rose in my throat, because it honestly felt like I was losing something... besides my mind, that is. Lightly touching her hair, I whispered, "I'm sorry," before rolling into my cold bed.

I should've known I wouldn't get away with it. Almost-silent footfalls padded across the room, and when I opened my eyes, I was looking straight into Nanaki's single golden one. "What is going on, Cloud-san?" he quietly demanded. "It is not like you to abandon Tifa-san like this."

Wincing over his word choice – 'abandon' was pretty harsh – I muttered, "It's complicated."

Settling his massive head on the edge of the mattress, he murmured, "I am listening."

Sighing, I tried to organize my thoughts and then decided to be blunt. "She doesn't smell like a girl."

"Her scent has shifted," he agreed. "Do you find it unpleasant?"

"No. It's just... not _her_."

"Ah. Do you still consider yourself her protector?"

"Yes... although she really doesn't _need_ me."

Nanaki raised his eyebrow at that. "She needs you right _now_," he gently pointed out.

"I know... but guys don't cuddle and snuggle to make each other feel better. We kill stuff, or blow shit up."

"Because that is the only way males physically show regard, or even affection, for each other?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "No, but..."

"Do you consider yourself Tifa-san's friend?"

"Of course!"

"Male friends _are _allowed to touch each other, Cloud-san."

"Yeah, but..."

"Cloud-san, none of us will negatively judge either of you for comforting each other," he murmured. "Tifa-san is only masculine on the outside."

"Yeah, well, it's her exterior that's causing trouble for me," I admitted.

He tilted his head. "Her appearance bothers you that much?"

"It's her height, the change in her voice... everything." Covering my eyes with one hand, I gave up. "I just _can't_. I've tried, but it weirds me out too much."

After a long moment of silence, Nanaki nudged my elbow with his nose. "I think I understand, Cloud-san."

"I don't want to hurt her... I _really_ don't, but I can't see a way around it," I mumbled. Nanaki bumped me again before returning to Yuffie's side, leaving me to feel like an absolute bastard.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The blizzard was still howling in the grey light of early morning when Yuffie finally woke up, crying for her dad. Nanaki instantly began talking to her, his voice more of a rumble than words. Tifa sat up, her short hair even more wildly tousled than usual. After a quick assessment of the situation, she fumbled her way into the pair of trousers and lurched the two steps across the aisle to Yuffie's bed. Folding the sniffling teen into her arms, she tucked Yuffie under her chin and held her while Nanaki retrieved the second set of garments. Tifa chivvied Yuffie into them and then Vincent took over. He got a couple of glasses of tea into the teen, and then Tifa drank another glass to encourage Yuffie to have a third. As I watched our frail-looking and forlorn ninja, it forcefully struck me that Yuffie really _was_ just a child – fighting shoulder to shoulder with adults who should have sent her home to her father instead of dragging her along on this insane quest.

"The kid's lookin' a little lost," Cid commented, inadvertently voicing my thought as he put on his boots.

Barret rolled out of bed and joined the group, fussing over both Tifa and Yuffie before getting down to business. "Holzoff ain't asked no questions, but he's bound ta once he's had a good look at alla us. We need a cover story."

Tifa ran her hand through her hair in an effort to tame the wayward strands; it didn't help. "How about expanding the story Cloud told Holzoff's wife?"

"Whazzat?" the big man asked.

She thought for a long minute, then said, "We're a special task force hunting for the killer of Aerith Faremis, murdered a few days ago at the Forgotten City. The suspect is known to be hiding in the vicinity of Gaea's Cliff." Her tenor voice sounded scratchy and sore, and I wondered if she might want another shot of Cure.

"He's a ShinRa informer – tol' 'em 'bout Ifalna, an' baby Aerith," Barret said heavily.

"Maliciously?" Tifa demanded while Yuffie just looked sick.

"Naw. He'd prob'ly be horrified if he knew what had happened to 'em." Barret scratched his head, clearly uncomfortable. "He's a good-hearted fella."

"We don't know what Reeve-san told him about us, though," Nanaki murmured.

"We'll just have to watch what we say," Tifa said, yawning. Levering herself upright, she stretched before asking, "Which way to the toilet?"

Cid tromped over. "I'll take ya," he grunted. "Goin' out fer a smoke, anyways."

As the pair thumped down the stairs, it dawned on me that nobody had asked my opinion of the plan – in fact, no one had apparently even checked to see if I was awake. Even worse, Tifa hadn't once looked my way. Swallowing my discontent, I climbed out of bed and approached the others. "How ya doin', brat?" I asked, aware of a coolness in the room that had nothing to do with the icy weather outside.

"Much better," Yuffie replied, with a tremulous smile. "That was quite the ride, huh?"

"The landing kinda sucked," I replied, cracking a grin. Yuffie beckoned me closer, and when I obeyed, she threw her arms around my shoulders and hugged tightly – and just like that, the tension in the room eased. I slung one arm around her and hugged back as she whispered, "Thank you for sticking with me."

"Couldn't let the White Rose of Wutai wilt." She wrinkled her nose, but let me have the last word. Scruffing her bangs, I announced, "I'm going to see how Holzoff reacts to the cover story." Only Barret appeared slightly abashed that I'd noticed the way I'd been ignored.

I had just gained the bottom stair when a highly appetizing aroma made my mouth water, and I followed it towards the common room. Making a quick pit-stop in the toilet, I then stood just inside the corridor and watched Tifa working her magic on both a sizzling griddle and Holzoff. I caught the last bit of Tifa's terse explanation as to how we knew Aerith – Holzoff seemed mightily pleased that Professor Faremis had 'returned' to the ShinRa fold so that two nice young SOLDIERs like us had the chance to meet Aerith - and then he complimented her skill in the kitchen.

"Did you learn how to cook with ShinRa, Herr Laurence?"

"No, sir," Tifa replied, deftly mixing batter in a large crockery bowl. "My mother died when I was young, and the ladies of my village gave me cooking lessons so my father and I wouldn't starve."

"I am sorry for your loss, _mein Junge_."

"She's been gone a long time, Mr. Holzoff, but I thank you for your kindness." Flashing him a smile, she wielded a ladle with practiced ease until a dozen pancakes were bubbling on the griddle next to sausages, eggs and diced potatoes. Since she didn't have much lead time, Holzoff must've had breakfast already started and she sweet-talked him into adding pancakes to the menu. It occurred to me that the cakes were probably for Yuffie's benefit since they were definitely comfort food.

"Smells terrific, Laurence!" I said, entering the room.

"Good morning, Commander," she answered calmly, poking one of the cakes without looking up. "Mr. Holzoff spotted a man matching the suspect's description scaling the Cliff yesterday. We have an excellent chance of capturing him – assuming he survives this blizzard."

"I am so very sorry to hear of Miss Aerith's tragic death," Holzoff sighed, obviously genuinely moved. "Of course, I last saw her as a young infant, but Herr Laurence has told me of her beauty and accomplishments. A terrible, terrible turn of events." Holding out a mug, he offered, "Coffee?"

"_Absolutely_. Thanks." Gratefully inhaling the aroma of decently-brewed caffeine, I engaged Holzoff in light conversation while Tifa tended the griddle. She glanced at me from time to time, but saved her smiles for our host. But then... it would be kinda weird for an officer and a subordinate to be behaving like best friends instead of professionals while we were on duty. At least, that's what I told myself. It wasn't long before the rest of the team tumbled down the stairs, lured by the delicious smells; Holzoff handed out plates and very shortly everyone was contentedly munching. I made sure that Tifa kept a decent portion for herself before accepting mine – sometimes I think she forgets that a larger body requires more fuel. She still gave Nanaki one of her sausages, despite my scowl.

It was around that point when I realized that Nanaki was remaining silent in front of Holzoff, which I thought was kinda odd, considering he believed the old man was trustworthy. Then again, why give Holzoff any tidbits of info that he might pass on to ShinRa – especially when it might not be Reeve in receipt of them.

The morning passed pleasantly enough; I spent a couple of hours out in the hanger, chopping and stacking wood while Cid supervised from his perch on a barrel that was clearly marked 'fuel'. The fact he continued chain-smoking while sitting on what could be a gasoline bomb made me rather twitchy, but the hanger was well-ventilated – and unheated. When we came in, thoroughly chilled, the unmistakeable smell of baking had both of us scrambling out of our boots and coats. Tifa had whipped up a batch of spice-infused bars that went down well with cups of tea; for once Cid didn't complain that the beverage wasn't strong enough.

"Ach, Herr Laurence – I shall be sorry to see you go!" Holzoff grinned. "I have not eaten this well in a very long time!"

After we ate, Barret and Vincent played chess while keeping an eye on Yuffie, who was muffled in a blanket and dozing on the striped sofa. Nanaki had curled up in front of the fire with Cid, who was asleep more than he was awake, judging by the fact that the pages of the open book on his lap hadn't turned in at least an hour. I honed my sword, watching Holzoff admiring Tifa's way with a batch of bread dough.

Vincent and Nanaki had disappeared for a while after lunch; upon their return, Vincent displayed their trophies - an Alexander and an Added Cut materia, plus a Safety Bit and four Phoenix Downs. Holzoff was most impressed that they had been able to find their way in the storm. Vincent vaguely replied that Nanaki's nose was superior, but I had a feeling that the gunslinger's resident entities were also no slouches in the 'superior senses' department.

In the late afternoon, Cid and I accompanied Holzoff outside as he took weather readings. After checking his various measuring devices, he declared that the storm would subside within the next twelve to fourteen hours, and we could plan our ascent for the next morning. Back inside, he lectured all of us on how to maintain our inernal temperatures during the climb while Tifa concocted soup for our dinner. The appetizing smell of cooking onions was highly distracting, along with the fresh bread cooling on the sideboard, but Holzoff imparted good advice so most of us listened carefully.

The soup was delicious and reminded me of one my mother used to make in Nibelheim's cooler months. The main ingredients were onions and potatoes – there was a sizeable bin of the tubers in the corner of the common room – and it featured slices of spicy sausage floating on top. Thick slabs of bread and chunks of sharp cheese rounded out the main course, and I reflected just how well Tifa looked after all of us... and how this could be our last decent meal for some time to come.

The radio chime sounded just as we were settling in with tea and the remaining spice bars; Nanaki and I again eavesdropped. It was Reeve, who tolerantly listened while Holzoff raved about 'Laurence's cooking skills; I wondered if Cait Sith had told him Tifa's cover name. When Holzoff said that the weather would most likely clear before morning and we could be on our way, Reeve sounded relieved; the risks he was taking on our behalf were sobering.

If my brief conversation with Cait Sith before the Temple of the Ancients had been the catalyst in Reeve actively subverting ShinRa's goals, we stood to gain quite a bit from his position within ShinRa. I was suddenly quite sure that Marlene wasn't in any danger at all – in fact, I'd bet a substantial amount of gil that Reeve was making sure she stayed well out of ShinRa's clutches.

Just before lights-out, Holzoff broke out the pear schnapps and poured a round for everyone, then solemnly toasted the success of our mission. Barret thanked him for his hospitality on behalf of all of us, and we trooped off to the dormitory with the alcohol making us feel all warm and fuzzy... which lasted about five minutes in my case, until I watched Tifa and Yuffie curling up together with Nanaki draped across the foot of their bed. Yuffie burrowed into Tifa's chest like a little kid looking for reassurance while Tifa stroked her hair and murmured soothingly. Meanwhile, I was doing a slow simmer on the other side of the room because someone else was the focus of Tifa's attention. Immature much, Strife? Growling at myself, I rolled over and did my best to fall asleep.

Considering what happened next, my inability to accept Tifa's exterior gender turned out to be the _least_ of my problems.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	15. Shattered

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been thoroughly mind-fucked.

**A/N:**I have trouble believing that ShinRa had no clue as to the huge amount of mako percolating inside the Northern Crater, considering that there's a famous winter resort within sneezing distance and they have access to both helicopters and airships. I prefer to believe that old man Shinra didn't see fit to tell his golden-haired boy about the bonanza; maybe Heidegger and Scarlet sucked up to Rufus by spilling the beans.

I know that in the OG, the player had a choice of either Nanaki or Barret to hold the Black Materia, but wouldn't Nanaki have noticed that 'Tifa' smelled different, at the very least? Jenova's mimicry abilities allowed her to assume different forms, but scents are a bit of a stretch, in my humble opinion. Barret knows Tifa better than any of them, so I doubt he'd be easily hoodwinked, either.

Pinching dialogue from _Crisis Core_ and _Advent Children Complete_.

**Warnings:**Coarse language, violence, character misplacement, canon abuse.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/Tam Lin and Ranuel. Thank you for making this chapter the best it could possibly be!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Fifteen: Shattered**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Can it get any fucking windier?" Cid grumbled. "Can't even light a fucking cigarette!"

"Once we hit a cave, it'll improve," Tifa said, again checking the knots of the rope tying her to Yuffie. Squinting up at the next ledge, marked by a red flag snapping smartly in the icy wind, she told the shivering teen, "It's a short climb. No more than a minute, at the very most."

"Once we hit a fucking cave, bets are that it'll be fucking infested with fucking monsters," the pilot peevishly complained.

Biting back a sharp comment, Tifa forced herself to patiently ask, "What makes you think that?"

"Seems to be our fucking luck."

"At least we'll be out of the wind," she shot back before boosting Yuffie up to the first set of handholds and following her up the cliff face as quickly as possible. Barret struggled after her, the rope between them pulling taut. _At least if he and Yuffie are tied to me, I can make sure they're all right._ For at least the fifth time since they started their climb that morning, Tifa blessed the unexpected gender change that had given her greater strength. _I'd never be able to pull this off if I were still female._ _Well, I could help Yuffie - but Barret at the same time? Out of the question._

Cloud and Nanaki were at least two ledges above them, while Cid and Vincent were one below. Tifa had the Fire materia in her pocket, and when they all reached each ledge, she passed it around the circle to keep them warm enough to tackle the next. _Nanaki's Fire magic will be enough for him and Cloud – and probably to fight off any monster they might encounter._

They'd scrambled up three more sets of ledges before they heard a shrill bark that carried over the sound of the wind. Craning their necks, they saw Nanaki peering down at them. "What's he saying?" Yuffie asked when the leonine creature vigorously yapped a couple more times.

"Don't know – maybe that they've reached a cave?" Tifa surmised. "Let's get up there and find out."

"W-would r-rather f-fight a whole f-fuckin' _herd_ o' d-dragons than b-be out in this f-fuckin' wind one more f-fuckin' m-minute," Barret managed through chattering teeth.

Tifa passed him the Fire materia again. "Your weapon okay?"

"I 'spect it's frozen up, cos my stump's gone numb," he replied.

"Then shove that materia down your sleeve and thaw it out. Keep it until the next ledge."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Not _another_ one!" Yuffie faintly protested as the Zolokalter scuttled over the rocks towards them, its stinger-like tail bobbing and its toothy maw rapidly snapping open and shut.

"Stay out of range of the Toxic Barf - _again_," Cloud ordered, squaring up to the luridly-coloured monster while Vincent took aim. Two well-placed bullets blew apart the Zolokalter's knee joints on one side of its body and it crashed to the icy floor of the cave, then the swordsman beheaded it and put it out of its misery. Jabbing one of the two previously-dispatched Headbombers with his sword, Cloud said, "We _must_ be getting close to Sephiroth if we're facing so many enemies, one after the other."

"At least we haven't met up with any more o' those fucking Stilvas," Cid observed before switching his attention to Yuffie. "That White Wind spell's lookin' good, kid!"

"Thanks," Yuffie replied, smiling bravely. "I've enough to keep everyone going for a while yet."

"Yer doin' fine." The pilot patted the teen's shoulder. "Well? When's tea break?"

"You can drink tea when you're dead," Cloud said flatly, slapping his sword on his back and striding off towards the exit.

Barret muttered wearily, "An' now we gotta climb some more."

"We _are_ closer to the top," Vincent laconically observed, after they'd followed Cloud out onto the ledge; the swordsman was already scrambling up the rocky incline to the next flag. When he reached it, he beckoned impatiently. However, instead of continuing up the cliff face alone, he waited for each member of the team to catch up. Nanaki went up first, then was sent to scout the next ledge; Cid took over assisting Barret while Vincent assumed responsibility for Yuffie.

Tifa thought Cloud looked tired, going by the way his shoulders drooped; his face was mostly hidden by his goggles and shrouded by the hood of his parka. _When was the last time he was Cured? The wind is strong, but no-one else is wearing eye protection. _ When Vincent scooped a vocally startled Yuffie into his arms and effortlessly sprang up the slope, Tifa equipped the materia. "You look like you could use a shot of this," she offered, showing him her glowing hand.

"Thanks," he murmured. Cid and Barret, fuelled mainly by profanity, began climbing the cliff; Vincent returned and assisted the big gunman up the rough slope, briefly leaving them alone on the ledge.

"Do your eyes hurt?" Tifa asked, stroking the healing energy over Cloud's slender frame. In answer, he pushed up the goggles, and she bit back a startled exclamation.

"How bad are they?" he asked quietly.

Cupping his chin in her hand, she carefully inspected the striking two-toned colour of his irises – and the pupil was inclining towards the vertically-slit. "About half-and-half," she whispered, moving in for a kiss, but he pulled free.

"That won't work," he mumbled, his pale cheeks flushing as he took a step back. "You're too much of a guy now."

"What? 'Too much of a guy'?"

Cloud hesitated, then stonily admitted, "Your scent has changed, Tifa. Being close to you doesn't soothe the noise the way it used to."

Tifa felt ill as the potential ramifications of her inability to bring Cloud back to himself struck home. Pushing down the shock with an effort, she finally managed to ask, "How are you keeping him at bay?"

"I'm not sure. Either I'm getting better at fighting him off – or he's giving me enough rope to hang myself."

"Is there _anything_ I can do?" she asked desperately.

Cloud reached out and seized her arm. "Same as always - take me down if I threaten our team."

_That's __not__ what I meant!_ Tifa nodded once, not daring to speak because of the lump in her throat. Swallowing hard, she managed to rasp out, "I'm _so_ sorry! I wasn't thinking..."

His expression was unreadable as he let her go. "You made the best decision that you could at the time – the extra strength is paying off right now, isn't it?"

"Yes, but... _you_ need me..." She trailed off, miserably hanging her head. _I really screwed up by staying male!_

"You put the team first," he murmured. "I'm part of the team, so you're helping me out, too."

"Cloud..."

He let her hug him, but it was very brief; in return, he thumped her shoulder. Whatever might've been said between them after that was lost forever when Nanaki hailed them from the higher ledge. "Our next opponents include a giant, sentient Icicle," he shouted down, "escorted by no less than four Evilheads. Vincent-san and Cid-san have the flapping guardians well in hand, but we think your sword will be most effective against the Icicle itself."

"Then let's go crush some ice." Cloud pulled his goggles back into place and rapidly scaled the cliff.

Her mind in a mad whirl, Tifa followed; when she reached the ledge, Nanaki was waiting and fell into step beside her. When he bumped her leg with his shoulder, she looked down; he said, "Cloud-san needs you even more now, so don't give up, Tifa-san."

"How? He doesn't want me to touch him!" she fairly exploded, startling herself with the blaze of frustrated anger.

Nanaki didn't turn a hair. "No, but he still needs all the _other_ ways by which you demonstrate that he is important to you."

"Other... ways...?" she repeated, baffled, giving him her full attention.

"He prizes your smiles and craves your attentions, Tifa-san. While you look after all of us, he has eyes only for you – and that remains the truth, even though you have changed genders."

Her stomach roiling, Tifa groaned quietly. "I've _completely_ let him down."

"No, you have _not_, Tifa-san," Nanaki growled. "_No-one_ faults you for being preoccupied by your own issues - Cloud-san definitely does not!"

"I was so caught up in trying to deal with the changes to my body... _Aerith_... that I didn't really consider how my decision was going to affect Cloud." Rubbing her hand over her face, Tifa asked, "Do I really smell... different?"

"Yes," he replied. "It is to be expected, since you have all the physical attributes of a male."

"We're _screwed_."

"No more than usual," Nanaki blandly commented.

"Don't you get it? I can't stop him if he goes 'green'!"

As they stepped into the relative shelter of the cave and the sounds of battle reached their ears, Nanaki said, "I have a feeling that Cloud-san has been stopping himself. He has been harshly tested over the past few days, but he has not become Sephiroth's mindless puppet."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Several more tiring battles, another gruelling climb, and after a memorable encounter with a Malboro, they took shelter from the incessant wind in the lee of a rock formation to devour the sandwiches and canteens of strong tea that Tifa and Holzoff had prepared that morning.

Mindful of Nanaki's advice, Tifa made a point of paying closer attention to Cloud instead of following her first impulse, which was to fuss over Yuffie and Barret. _It feels kinda awkward – which means I __have__ been ignoring him._ Cloud accepted her standing closer than was strictly necessary, and didn't pull away when she casually rested her hand on his shoulder. His eyes remained hidden behind his goggles, but he shared her wry smile when Cid cut loose with some particularly choice cussing because the wind had torn an unlit cigarette out of his fingers and whirled it away.

Beckoning the rest of the team into a huddle, Cloud said, "I think it's obvious that things are gonna get nastier from this point onwards. Barret, how's the gun-arm?"

"Still frozen solid," the big man grumbled. "Guess the lubricatin' oil was too fucking light."

"We didn't anticipate these temperatures. You'd better stay in the back with Yuffie."

"S'okay. If anythin' gets too close, I can still bop 'em with it."

"Vincent, you and Cid are with Barret. Yuffie, keep that White Wind spell ready to deploy." When the teen nodded, Cloud continued, "Tifa, you're with me and Nanaki out front. We need a strong offence, but a stronger defence if we're gonna get out of this alive."

"I will reconnoitre the cave and report back, Cloud-san," Nanaki said. "Cid-san? It will undoubtedly be easier to light a match inside."

"An' attract all sorts o' fucking wildlife," the pilot dolefully replied, but he didn't turn down Nanaki's invitation to accompany him into the dark maw.

Tifa handed the Fire materia around the circle; when Cloud, the last in line, was about to give it back, she impulsively cupped her hands around his instead. "Your hands have to be warm enough to grip your sword hilt," she murmured. "You don't want to have stiff fingers when you're facing Sephiroth."

"Hope I get a chance to swing my sword at him," he muttered. "Tifa... no matter what happens, I don't want you to go after Sephiroth."

"What do you mean? I'll do whatever it takes to protect my friends," she replied, puzzled.

"No, I meant… _don't_ attack him. Like you did… after Aerith."

"Oh." She shuffled her boots on the icy snow, recalling the incandescent fury that had propelled her within range of the Masamune. "Um..."

"You've been damn lucky both times that he didn't skewer you." Cloud extracted his hands and pressed the materia into her palm. "If he's trying to break me, then killing you in front of me would do it."

"All right."

Cloud lightly biffed her arm as Cid roared, "Hustle yer asses, boys an' girls!" When they looked towards the cave entrance, he frantically waved his lance. "We just wiped out a coupla Cuahls an' found a Healing spring!"

As they double-timed it towards the grinning pilot, Nanaki abruptly appeared from the darkness behind him. "How are our dragon-slaying skills?"

"_Crap,_" Tifa grunted wearily.

"What colour is it?" Vincent abruptly asked, as if this was important.

Nanaki's one eye twinkled. "A very attractive shade of blue, if that helps."

"We might get a Dragon Armlet out of the effort," Cloud commented.

"Gotta get _somethin_', asides frostbite," Barret grumbled.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"That was fucking _hideous_," Cid declared, poking one of the slack-jawed heads of the dead Schizo with the sharp tip of his lance. "Hope there ain't another one like _that_ lurkin' anywhere - I'd rather fight another fucking dragon!"

"There'll prob'ly be sumthin' worse," Barret bleakly prophesized. "Jus' gotta keep an eye out fer those black-cloaked fellers – poor bastards."

"I cannot decide whether Sephiroth is testing our strength by throwing these varied opponents at us, or hoping to exhaust us so he can strike without fear of retaliation," Nanaki commented, between bouts of furiously licking his burned paws.

"Probably both," Tifa said, combing her fingers through her bangs to remove the crisped ends.

Yuffie equipped the Restore materia and went to work on Nanaki. "It would be just like Sephiroth to try an underhanded tactic like that," she said. "He's already forced Cloud into attacking his friends – how are you doing, anyways?"

The swordsman grimaced. "Gettin' noisy in here," he answered, tapping his head, and then as if emphasizing the point, he finally removed his goggles to display the icy green creeping into his irises.

"What the hell, Spiky? Can ya hold out?" Barret demanded.

"Trying."

"Well, then let Tifa smooch you until the noise goes away," Yuffie briskly suggested.

"Doesn't work so well now that she's a guy."

The teen frowned thoughtfully. "D'you want me to try?" she asked in all seriousness; Tifa managed not to choke.

Cloud rapidly shook his head. "Sorry, brat. I don't know you well enough."

She sniffed. "What you really mean is, I'm not your type."

"That, too."

Vincent had arrived back from recon in time to hear Yuffie's offer to Cloud; Tifa thought that the gunslinger's posture was a little more rigid than usual until the swordsman declined. "Only a short climb remains to the top of the Cliff," Vincent announced. "It is quite a spectacle."

Yuffie finished with Nanaki and then had a look at Barret's stump. Sweeping green energy over his arm, she said, "Let me fix your leg, Cid."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with my fucking leg!"

Rolling her eyes for the rest of the group's benefit, she sweetly inquired, "Then why are you limping?" Grumbling, the pilot submitted; Yuffie efficiently Healed his injury then stood beside Vincent.

Cloud glanced around the circle. "Ready?"

"As we'll ever be, boss." Taking a last drag on his cigarette, Cid ground the butt under his heel. "Let's get this _done_ an' get the hell outta this fucking deep freeze."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"_Amazing_," Yuffie whispered, hanging tightly onto Vincent's gauntleted fingers as they picked their way down the slope behind Tifa.

Vincent murmured an agreement while Tifa nodded, torn between watching where she put her feet and gawking at the strange landscape they were traversing. In the centre, a giant whirlwind spun around a towering mako fountain that was easily several hundred feet high, reaching above the formidable walls of the crater. The glimmering liquid seemed to spin off a delicate fog, and Tifa recognized the source of the fine snowflakes dappling their hair and shoulders.

"That musta been one helluva collision," Barret commented from behind Yuffie and Vincent, "to throw up the crater walls so fucking high."

"It's the fact that after so many centuries, this is still in effect an open wound that bothers me," Tifa said. "It appears that Jenova was almost too much for the Planet."

"If Meteor strikes, it'll make this look like a minor scratch," Cloud added. Despite the difficult terrain, he and Nanaki were moving purposefully towards the crater's floor.

_It's as if he knows exactly where to go - I expect he does, if Sephiroth is leading him._ Struck by an unnerving idea, Tifa halted, bringing their straggling line to an abrupt stop. "Cloud… can you tell if Sephiroth is making you lead us into a trap?"

The swordsman froze in his tracks. "I'm being pulled _that _way," he said, pointing at the base of the mako fountain. "But I can't tell if he's set up anything along the way."

"It would be in his best interest to separate us from you," Vincent pointed out. "You are more vulnerable when alone."

"If you're not with me, then he can't force me to turn on you, either."

"Not having this fucking discussion again," Barret growled.

"We have company," Nanaki interrupted, pointing further down to where the rocky slope gave way to a cracked and fragmented maze of fragile-looking pathways leading towards the central fountain. Mako surged and splashed in the deep fissures between the patches of crust. They watched in hushed silence as the hunched figure in a black cloak attempted to navigate a tricky series of step-like formations and fail, the unfortunate's abrupt return to the Lifestream announced by a brief column of liquid; Tifa cursed eloquently.

"Tifa-san!" Nanaki exclaimed, looking mildly scandalized.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was just thinking about those kids we found in Nibelheim and _really_ hoping that wasn't one of them."

"If the gods were merciful, Tifa-san, they will have already met their end in some place far from here," Nanaki murmured.

"_Incoming!_" Cid shouted, and they all reflexively hugged the nearest boulder.

"What _is_ that?" Yuffie asked as the gleaming airship banked overhead and turned away, flying slowly around the perimeter of the crater.

"That's _my_ fucking ship!" Cid snarled, shaking his fist. "Fucking ShinRa fucking stole her from me!"

"Do you think Holzoff ratted us out?" Barret suggested.

"Doubt it. They'd send gunships after us, not an unarmed airship," Cloud answered; despite that Vincent appeared to be calculating the range.

"Then what're they doin'?"

"No clue. Let's get on with what _we_ came here to do, and only worry about ShinRa if they take an interest in _us_."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"This one's number eleven," Cid said, covering up the limp body with its tattered black cloak.

"An' this one's got a number four on 'is arm," Barret added, tucking the corpse's limb back inside its clothing.

"All those innocent lives - ShinRa's gonna _pay_!" Tifa clenched her jaw so tightly that she was in danger of powdering her teeth as she surveyed the crumpled remains of several more of Hojo's victims. _If not for Zack breaking them out of the Mansion, Cloud might've ended up exactly like these people!_

Cloud, more practical or perhaps more immune, finished checking all of the bodies and held up an Ether and a Hi-Potion. "Nothing can be done for them," he said, "except for us to avenge them."

"If I _ever_ get my hands on Hojo…" Tifa gritted out, her fists clenching.

"Get in line," he grimly retorted.

Yuffie and Vincent had gone ahead; the teen returned to report, "There's a flat path up ahead with gaps in it, and powerful bursts of wind whizz through the breaks at high speed. If you don't time your jumps just right, you get ambushed by a Wind Wing. They're not too hard to kill, though."

"Where's Vincent?"

"Keeping an eye on the airship. I think he wants to test his distance shooting."

"She's called the _Highwind_," Cid said heavily. "The bastards didn't change 'er name - supposed t'make me feel honoured, I guess."

Cloud nodded absently as if preoccupied, and gestured the rest to follow.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"You have failed in your mission." The long, narrow blade flashed, and two more black-cloaked figures tumbled to their deaths. Yuffie let out a small scream and ducked behind Tifa, while around them, weapons were cocked and materia equipped.

"This is the fucking _end_, Sephiroth!" Barret roared, his gun-arm finally back in action.

The former general slowly turned towards them. "You are correct… it is the end of this body's usefulness."

"What the fucking _hell_?" Cid spoke for all of them when Sephiroth vanished in a column of evil-looking black smoke, and they were plunged into darkness.

"Nobody move." Cloud's calm voice penetrated the murk; Tifa swallowed her apprehension and stayed put. Within a few seconds, the darkness lifted, revealing a fundamental change in the colours of their surroundings. The distinctive green of the Lifestream had turned a sullen grey, and the stony path was stained an eerie purple. Puffs of blue-tinted gases shot up from before-unnoticed cracks in the rocks, adding to the threatening air.

Vincent looked up. "The darkness remains."

Cid glanced at the low-hanging black clouds. "Means the assholes on the _Highwind_ can't see us."

"Thereby preventing ShinRa's participation in what is to come… as either aggressor or rescuer," Vincent mused. "Cloud? What is wrong?"

The swordsman gripped his head, his eyes tightly closed. "_Voices_…!"

Tifa immediately began rubbing his back and shoulders. "What are they saying?" she whispered, making sure she was in a position to restrain him if Sephiroth was telling him to attack his friends. _All I need is a few seconds for one of the others to knock him out!_

Flinching, he haltingly spoke. "Our purpose is to deliver the Black Materia to our master…"

"Our master?" Yuffie repeated.

"That'd be Sephiroth – but doesn't he already _have_ the Black Materia?" Cid asked, puzzled.

Cloud hunched, for a brief moment looking uncannily like the black-cloaked unfortunates that Sephiroth had just dispatched. "Those who carry Jenova's cells…" he mumbled.

Vincent peered intently at the sweating swordsman. "It appears that Cloud is indeed a carrier of Jenova's DNA - like Sephiroth."

"Clones of… the master… _argh_!"

"_Look out!_" As Vincent whipped out his gun and started blasting away at the hovering figure, Tifa pushed Cloud to the ground; Nanaki crouched protectively before them. "Fucking sonuvabitch used the boss to fucking distract us!" Cid complained, throwing himself in front of the group, leaving Barret and Vincent to pour round after round into Sephiroth. Just like at the Forgotten City, Sephiroth didn't seem concerned by the hail of bullets tearing through his body… and then he abruptly transformed into a huge, hideous, stumpy-limbed creature that squatted untidily on the path, blocking their advance.

"_Finally_ – somethin' we _can_ kill!" Barret exclaimed, emptying an entire clip into the monster's chest. It shook itself and opened its jaws; the team was bathed in a burning, red-toned fog.

"Let's get the ugly mother!" Cid crowed, and dove into battle. The accompanying explosion blew off most of one of the creature's contorted limbs, while Yuffie's shuriken tore through the other one. Vincent and Barret continued harrying the monster with unrelenting salvos aimed at its torso; it belched a number of floating fireballs that were easily dodged.

"Let me up," Cloud growled and pushed upward, forcing Tifa to give way.

"Are you… yourself, Cloud-san?"

"I think so. The voices are gone."

"Look at me – _crap_!" Tifa backpedalled when she saw his ice-green eyes and dropped into an attack stance.

Cloud scowled, even more intimidating with his otherworldly glare. "I'm in control," he insisted.

"Forgive us our scepticism, Cloud-san," Nanaki rumbled. His furry brow wrinkled and he deeply inhaled. "Your scent has changed."

"We'll worry about it later," he said flatly. "Tifa – stay close. If I do lose it, you have to be able to clock me _fast_."

Dampening down on her nerves, she nodded briefly and followed him into the melee. When Cid and Yuffie let loose with simultaneous attacks while Barret and Vincent jointly targeted its head with a barrage of bullets, he drew his sword and charged at the violently convulsing creature. The huge blade whirled, and then he shoved himself and the sword into the air, splitting the monster wide open. The others whooped and moved in, concentrating their strikes until it was reduced to quivering hunks of flesh. The colours of the landscape blinked back to normal and the menacing cloud overhead dissipated, allowing the pale sunlight to glint off a Reflect ring… and a darkly gleaming materia.

"The Black Materia? We got it back?" Cloud's voice was tight; Tifa noticed that he was holding himself very rigidly. Approaching carefully, ready to react at the slightest sign that he was being controlled, she rested her hands on his shoulders and squeezed. The tension in his frame eased somewhat, but when he turned, she saw his eyes were still more green than blue. "He's either not trying very hard, or I'm holding him off," Cloud murmured. "Stay with me."

"I will."

As the others cleaned or reloaded their weapons, Nanaki sniffed the sullenly glowing orb and backed away. "It is indeed the Black Materia," he said in a low voice. "The malevolence is positively astonishing."

Cloud rolled his shoulders before re-seating his sword on his back. "Just like the 'Sephiroth' at the Forgotten City, that was a piece of Jenova mimicking the asshole's appearance."

"_What?_" Cid demanded, echoed by the rest.

"This particular chunk must have been at the Temple of the Ancients. Lucky for us that we ran into it before it could give Sephiroth the Black Materia."

"Musta been another piece pretendin' ta be Sephiroth that was on th' Cargo Ship, too," Barret mused.

Tifa touched Cloud's arm. "How do you know?"

"Inside information." Jerking his head at the huge mako fountain looming overhead, Cloud continued, "The real Sephiroth is very close – just up ahead, deep inside the wound that Jenova inflicted on the Planet. He's exerting his will on both Jenova and those poor bastards in the black cloaks to bring him the Black Materia."

"And on you?" Tifa whispered, pulling back.

"He's trying." Cloud turned to Cid. "You, Vincent and Yuffie stay here and guard this thing," he said, indicating the gleaming black orb. "I don't dare have it anywhere near me when we face the asshole. Barret and Nanaki - you're with Tifa and me."

"Pressure's on," the pilot grumbled, scooping up the materia and shoving it into his pocket; he tossed the Reflect ring to Tifa.

"We won't give it up without a fight!" Yuffie declared, hefting her weapon.

Cloud's tone, along with his inhuman eyes, stopped her cold. "I'm counting on all of you – don't give it to _anyone_."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Oi, Nanaki – not too far ahead! Whole place's prob'ly booby-trapped."

"I agree, Barret-san." Falling back, he sniffed the air several times. "We are definitely closing in on Sephiroth's location. This cavern carries the same scent as Cloud-san, and it is becoming stronger."

"Don' know if I like th' idea o' Spiky startin' to stink like Sephiroth."

"How do you think _he_ feels?" Tifa retorted. "_Crap!_" A thick, white fog enveloped them, completely obscuring their surroundings and each other. "Cloud?"

"Right here."

His cool voice wasn't particularly reassuring, and she stepped sideways towards Barret's last location in case the swordsman _had_ lost control of himself. She was relieved to literally bump into Barret; he gripped her belt. Nanaki pressed up against her legs a moment later.

"This fucking _sucks_," Barret rumbled. "_Really_ don' fancy not bein' able to see what's comin'."

Tifa reached down to touch Nanaki's mane and cut her finger on a Diamond Pin. "Can you retrace our footsteps?" she asked, sucking on the injury.

"I can try."

At that moment, the white-out vanished, replaced by an entirely unexpected setting. "N-Nibelheim?" Tifa exclaimed, staring in disbelief at the wrought iron entrance gate, the giant urns beside it, the cobblestoned square surrounded by sturdy houses.

"It's an illusion," Cloud declared.

"A really, really good one." However, when Tifa tried to touch the fence, her hand passed right through it.

"Got company," Barret said, and they automatically moved aside to allow a familiar, black-clad, silver-haired figure the right of way through the open gate. "Is that another chunk o' Jenova?"

"No. Like our surroundings, it lacks any scent," Nanaki confirmed.

Tifa squinted at the two helmeted ShinRa troopers. _One of them must be teenaged Cloud - that one, I'll bet. He's shorter and shuffling his feet, as if nervous about entering the town. And, oh sweet Shiva, it's…._

Barret demanded, "Who's _that_?"

"This is _stupid_," Cloud scoffed, but there was a note of uncertainty in his voice. Tifa was so busy gaping at the image of Zack that she didn't move far enough out of the way when Sephiroth gestured his escorts forward; the illusory ShinRa trooper that she'd identified as Cloud marched right through her.

The muffling white fog descended once again and then lifted. They were now inside the burning town, looking down on the square as if watching from the roof of one of the buildings; Tifa let out a small, horrified sound as the nightmares that had haunted her for five years refreshed their fuel.

"Stay strong," Nanaki soothed. "It is only an illusion; it cannot harm you."

"It's jus' like Corel," Barret said grimly. "Ever'body dead, everythin' on fire."

"This is what happened five years ago," Cloud murmured. "There's Master Zangan. He was checking the bodies when I found him… except it won't be me who approaches him – right, Sephiroth?" His fists clenching, Cloud addressed the flame-lit 'sky' overhead. "I _know_ I was in Nibelheim that day, you bastard! The heat of the fire, the pain in my body _and_ in my heart… I remember _everything_!"

A deep, mocking laugh sounded, coming from every direction. Abruptly, they were on ground level, in the centre of the conflagration. The barrels of Barret's gun-arm began whirling and Nanaki's growl made the hair on the back of Tifa's neck stand up. Sephiroth's voice, full of satisfaction, rumbled, "You are mistaken, Cloud. A puppet lacks a heart, so you cannot feel pain."

"Shut _up_! I'm not _anything_ of yours – _not_ _your damn puppet_!"

"You think this is an illusion," Sephiroth purred, blinking into existence before them. "Unfortunately, Cloud, _this_ is reality. Your so-called memories are the illusion."

"You're fulla shit."

Sephiroth laughed again, his pale eyes glittering. "How do you know that the woman calling herself 'Tifa Lockhart' is who you believe her to be? Do you _really_ think that she could have survived my blow?"

"_I _did," Cloud sneered. "And then I threw your skinny ass into the mako chamber."

"You have been fooled by Jenova's mimicry abilities many times before. How many times have you fought pieces of her that you believed to be me? Becoming a nonentity like 'Tifa Lockhart' – or 'Cloud Strife' – is simplicity itself."

"So... yer sayin' that _Tifa_ is a piece of Jenova?" Barret rasped, sounding like he was on the verge of bursting out laughing at the suggestion.

"Do you really _know_ her, Cloud? Where is she now, I wonder?"

Tifa exhaled. _He doesn't recognize me - what a piece of luck!_

"She's safe... from your stupid insinuations," Cloud snickered.

"Denying reality is futile," Sephiroth smugly intoned, not at all put out by their disbelief. Tifa took two long strides and punched the image in the face; its eyes widened slightly before it dissipated around her fist.

"Speakin' o' futile…" Barret commented drily.

"_I_ feel much better," she curtly retorted.

"Cloud-san?" Nanaki nudged the swordsman's hand.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "There are gaps in my memory, but only in the last five years. If Hojo plugged me full of Jenova cells, then that could explain the blank parts… but I'm still me, right?"

"I already told you… there's only one Cloud Strife," Tifa replied. "Don't listen to him, Cloud. Jenova tampered with your memories, but you're still _you_ – and I'm still _me_."

Nanaki had enough. "Tifa-san smells _nothing_ like either Sephiroth _or_ Jenova," he said bluntly. "The Jenova cells have only tainted your scent, Cloud-san."

Cloud rubbed his forehead. "You recognized me right away at the train station," he murmured to Tifa. "You know who I am; your faith in me is what matters."

Their tormentor rematerialized on the opposite side of the 'town square'; Tifa distantly noted the 'flames' reflecting on his pale hair. "The ability to change one's looks, voice and speech patterns – that is the power of Jenova. Inside of your body, Jenova created 'Cloud' out of your companions' perceptions – the puppet became the leader they followed, trusted, and admired... right up until their doom."

Barret had recovered his composure enough to ask, "_Now_ what shit are you talkin'?"

"Cloud brought you here... in order to betray you."

Tifa couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "We thought of that – but we came anyways."

"He is stronger than all of you... could kill you if I gave him the command."

"Shut _up_." Cloud's steely gaze was even more unnerving than Sephiroth's. "You tried to make me kill Aerith and I didn't – what makes you think you'd be any more successful now?"

Sephiroth's answering smile was truly frightening and Tifa steeled herself. _He's going to drop a bombshell! _

"When we were in Nibelheim, a photograph was taken of the myself, the young Tifa Lockhart and…."

"Don't waste my time," Cloud interrupted.

A colour photograph, startling in its clarity, fluttered into existence. "Who is that dark-haired SOLDIER, I wonder?" Sephiroth purred.

While Tifa held her breath, Cloud asked, "A better question is… why are you doing this, Sephiroth? Why go through all this effort? What do you want?"

"What do I want? To crush you, of course," he answered. "A puny life form like you has no business interfering with the destiny of a god. Your punishment will be to give me the Black Materia from your own hand, thereby becoming the agent of the Planet's destruction."

"Like _hell_ I will!"

"Tell me, Cloud… what do you think happened to that dark-haired SOLDIER?"

"How the hell would I know, since he didn't exist?"

"But he _did_ exist, Cloud. You idolized him, wanted to be like him... and then you killed him."

"W-what?"

"Spiky ain't the type to stab somebody inna back... unlike _you_, ya bastard," Barret said.

"Ah, but he _did_... because I _ordered_ him to do so." While Cloud just numbly stared, Sephiroth smoothly continued, "You've _always_ been my puppet, Cloud. Accept your destiny..."

"I don't believe you," Cloud stoutly insisted, but his body language expressed doubts.

There was something in Sephiroth's smug expression that set more alarm bells ringing in Tifa's mind, but before she could warn Cloud to be careful, Sephiroth asked, "Tell me... when did you enter SOLDIER?"

Cloud stood very straight. Defiance tightening every line of his body, he declared, "I first joined the Security Department of ShinRa, and then was accepted into SOLDIER after passing the entrance exam."

"You must have been very proud."

"Not as proud as I was to become a First Class. I was really looking forward to going home to Nibelheim, to show off my new uniform…" Tifa saw the exact moment that Sephiroth relinquished control over Cloud's mind, but she was helpless to intervene as his eyes flashed clearest blue and he physically stumbled. Then he looked to Tifa. "I was in Nibelheim... right?"

A vice closing around her heart, she firmly replied, "Yes, Cloud... you were in Nibelheim."

"But... was I a SOLDIER?"

"Sephiroth... you _bastard_!" Tifa snarled, abruptly realizing their enemy's plan. "I won't play your game!"

"I do not care if _you_ comply or not," Sephiroth sneered, "I only needed _his_ doubts about himself to be fanned to succeed."

Shaking his head, Cloud muttered, "When _did_ I enter SOLDIER? I kept failing the exam… wanted to be SOLDIER so bad… Zack said not to give up… _Zack_?" Tifa raced towards him, but the ground shook and sent her sprawling. Cloud fell to his knees, staring at the photograph. "I am your... living legacy... I promised I wouldn't forget...," he mumbled, then his head tilted back. Cloud's anguished scream was the last thing Tifa heard before they were plunged into darkness.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"So, what's fucking ShinRa up to?"

"A party of four has disembarked from the airship and disappeared below ground," Vincent answered from his position a couple of boulders away.

Cid grinned evilly. "Perfect time to steal 'er back – who's with me?"

"Bet there's tons of awesome loot on board," Yuffie smirked.

The gunslinger appeared to give the idea serious thought. "I did not see any crew members exit, which means we could face considerable opposition."

"I betcha that fucking Hojo's with 'em," Cid commented off-handedly. "He'd be hot to trot to see somethin' like this."

Vincent straightened. "On the other hand, we undoubtedly have an advantage in firepower – and a more comfortable method of travel is desirable." He was almost a third of the way across the considerable distance to the _Highwind_ few seconds later.

"Oi, Vinnie! Wait up!" Muttering grumpily, Cid prepared to follow... then nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand clapped onto his shoulder.

"Thank goodness you're still here! Quick! Cloud's in trouble! Give me the Black Materia – it's the only way to defeat Sephiroth!"

"_Dammit, _Tifa – ya nearly gave me fucking heart failure!" The pilot fumbled in his pocket and retrieved the orb. "Glad to get rid o' the fucking thing," he said to the young woman as he handed it over. "You be careful with it."

"I will," she replied before leaping back down the pathway, her footsteps oddly soundless.

As Cid lit another cigarette, Yuffie found her voice and yelped, "Cid! Have you lost your effin' _mind_?"

"What the fuck?" the pilot demanded, affronted.

"Our Tifa's a _guy – _that was a_ girl_!"

The cigarette dropped out of Cid's mouth. "_Fuck!_" he roared. "_Vincent!_ Getcher brass-buckled ass back here! We've been had!" Grabbing for his lance, he led the mad scramble towards the cavern.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"_Fabulous_! The walls are solid materia!" Scarlet gloated, possessively running her hands over the crystalline material. Her burly, scar-faced companion grunted in agreement as he surveyed the root-like structure spanning the transparent roof of the cavern with a large, green-tinted orb anchoring its centre. Through the thick, branching supports, mako could be both seen and heard as it rushed upward to create the fountain in the heart of the crater.

"So much mako… this truly must be the Promised Land," Rufus Shinra murmured. "I can't understand why the old man kept this information to himself."

"The Promised Land doesn't exist," Hojo briskly corrected him. "It's a fantasy."

"You deny the proof of your own eyes? What kind of second-rate scientist are you?"

Before Hojo could reply, an ominous rumble shook the ground and Scarlet let out a shriek. "There's something inside the wall! It's moving!" As she scrabbled backwards, they all saw what appeared to be a single, huge, eye blink once before the shaking became worse.

"What the hell is _that_?" Rufus demanded, his gun appearing in his hand.

Hojo polished his glasses and pushed them back into place with one long finger. "I didn't completely trust Faremis' findings, but apparently the Weapons really do exist."

The muzzle of Rufus' weapon was abruptly pointed at Hojo's forehead. "I'm getting the feeling that my esteemed father kept a very great deal from me," he ground out. "Explain 'Weapons'… quickly."

"Giant guardians of the Planet, Mr. President, created by the Cetra. They appear when the Planet's existence is threatened."

"_What_ is threatening the Planet?" Rufus demanded as another tremor sent Scarlet skittering to Heidegger for protection. The floor heaved again, almost throwing him off his feet and the cavern darkened; when the light returned, Rufus aimed his gun at the green-eyed newcomer who had suddenly appeared in their midst. "Who are you?" he barked.

"You'd better get out of here as soon as you can. Leave it to me."

"Leave _what_ to you?"

The blond SOLDIER, First Class, raised his hand, palm up. "The Reunion. Where everything begins and ends."

Rufus noted the bland expression on Hojo's face changing to one of almost embarrassing avidity at this confusing pronouncement, but before he could interrogate the SOLDIER – who looked somehow familiar – he was distracted by an attractive young woman approaching from the direction of a crack in the cavern wall. Admiring her long, slender legs for a split-second, he almost failed to notice what appeared to be an unusually large black materia in her hand – and he instantly coveted it. "Stop right there," Rufus commanded, cocking his weapon.

At that moment, a mismatched group tumbled through the same crack used by the young woman and in the tumult that accompanied their arrival, the SOLDIER didn't appear to hear Rufus. Instead, he haltingly approached the woman, his motions jerky and disjointed.

In a moment of clarity, they all heard his voice, soft and pleading, as he murmured, "Tifa...? Stay with me, please," and reach for the woman. There was a choked cry from someone within the group of new arrivals, but before Rufus could identify the source, the young woman thrust the materia into the SOLDIER's outstretched hands... and then darkness surged around them. A single shaft of light startlingly illuminated her for a split-second – before she was sliced in two by an unseen blade. Her eyes widened as the halves of her body fell apart without a sound – but the agonized scream ricocheting around the glassy walls didn't come from her lips.

The darkness lifted, revealing the SOLDIER on his knees, huddled and shuddering, the image of a broken man if Rufus had ever seen one... while the woman's body dissolved into a puddle of evil-looking black ooze. "_What_ the ever-loving _hell_ is going on?" he demanded. There was a flurry, and a dark-haired SOLDIER, Third Class, practically flung himself across the cavern and onto the other man.

"_Cloud!_ Cloud... it's me! I'm all right! It was an illusion!" Grasping the blond's shoulders, the Third Class roughly shook him.

While Rufus pondered the Third Class' odd choice of words, Hojo began cackling maniacally. "A failed Clone was the only one to complete the experiment? _Unbelievable_!"

Rufus once again trained his gun on the scientist. "What the hell is a Clone?"

Hojo smirked. "Cloud Strife is the sole survivor of sub-section of my Project-S research - the Reunion Theory. I suspected that scattered Jenova cells would attempt to become one again, so after the Nibelheim Incident provided me with numerous test subjects, I injected them with Jenova cells in varying quantities. Casualty rates were high; most of the survivors' personalities were destroyed and they became mindless drones….."

"_Human experimentation_?" Rufus demanded, horrified.

"Bah. How do you think your precious SOLDIERs were first created? Through exactly the same process, but with lower doses and performed on superior specimens who were able to keep their own personalities in the face of Jenova's influence."

"I can see why I was never told about this," Rufus growled. Hooking his thumb at the SOLDIER, Third Class, he acidly commented, "Looks like you had another success, Professor."

Hojo dismissively flapped his hand. "His presence is probably coincidental, as he is merely a Third Class. Since the Nibelheim Incident, SOLDIERs only receive mako injections, which in my opinion yield an inferior product." He was about to continue his dissertation when the blond SOLDIER slowly raised his head to look at the desperate Third Class.

"Zack...," he whispered dully. "You died because of me, too... I'm sorry..."

"_Cloud!_" Letting out a ragged sob, the Third Class went to throw his arms around the smaller man, but the blond was jerked away and drawn rapidly up into the air as if by invisible strings.

"_Dammit_, Spiky! Get a hold o' yerself!" yelled a huge man with a massive gun-barrel grafted onto his arm; Rufus abruptly focussed, wondering why the man also looked vaguely familiar.

"Don't do it, Cloud! _Fight him_ – I believe in you!" the Third Class hoarsely shouted, his words echoed by a teenage girl hefting a large shuriken.

Hojo let out a gleeful exclamation, pointing as the egg-shaped orb began descending to meet the SOLDIER, suspended by the twisting roots. "Can you see him? It's Sephiroth!" It was true; dimly visible through the green haze was an eerily beautiful male, long silver hair flowing around his naked torso. He seemed asleep, until they noticed that he lacked a body from the waist down, although waving dark tendrils seemed to indicate a form of regeneration.

The Third Class whirled on Hojo. "_You!_" he snarled, balling his fists and dove at the scientist. Red cloak swirling, a tall, saturnine man restrained him, clearly staking a prior claim to the scientist. A dog-like creature with a flaming tail-tip crouched in front of both of them, baring impressive fangs. Rufus was intrigued by all this, even more so when Hojo turned even paler and backed away, his gaze trained on the red-cloaked man and his excitement over Sephiroth apparently forgotten.

The teenage girl wasn't distracted. "Cloud's giving him the Black Materia!" she screamed. "We're all gonna die!" Rufus looked up in time to see the blond SOLDIER push the large materia through the gelatinous shell of the orb.

"Let's get the fuck outta here!"

Recognizing Cid Highwind's gruff tones, Rufus decided to follow the crusty old pilot's advice. "All of you – this way!" Waving his gun, he urged them towards the rocky tunnel his group had used to access the central cavern. The doggish animal seized the dark-haired Third Class' wrist in his teeth, yanking him away as the ceiling began to collapse. Rufus was startled to hear the creature urging the SOLDIER to run.

"But… _Cloud!_" The man sounded beyond desperate.

"He is lost to us," the beast calmly replied. "Now, we must do what we can to stop Meteor and save the Planet."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The tunnel shook violently and they were showered with rocks coming loose from the ceiling; behind them, mako boiled upward, licking at the heels of Tifa's boots as Nanaki hustled her towards safety. Bursting out of the tunnel, they swarmed up the gangway of the _Highwind_; the airship was already straining at her anchors, her propellers whirling.

"Lemme fly this bucket o' bolts!" Cid roared, shoving aside a bald-headed Turk and agilely swinging down the stairs into what smelled like the engine room. A few seconds later, his voice boomed over the deck intercom. "Fasten your seatbelts, ladies! Hope you brought a change of underwear!"

Yuffie shrieked as the airship lurched upwards and spun on its axis, barely avoiding a towering, dragon-like creature rising above the churning mako. Its massive jaws snapped at the _Highwind_'s tail assembly and then opened in a deafening bellow. One threat barely avoided, they almost ran into a second monster climbing over the lip of the crater. The _Highwind_ desperately clawed for altitude to avoid the steel-grey creature; Tifa thought she felt and heard a minor collision.

At that moment, a massive explosion seized the ship, violently shook it, and then the shock wave blasted it into the sky. While everyone else held on for dear life as the craft bucked and rolled, the intercom transmitted every single nuance of Cid's impressive profanity as he fought to stabilize his ship. Tifa managed to spare a thought for Holzoff. _I hope he's managed to escape!_

Tifa thought she heard Yuffie emptying her stomach; raising her head, she looked around for the stricken teen and saw her clinging tightly to a stanchion while retching miserably. Barret and Vincent had found handholds on the main support column; Nanaki was safely wedged against the metal by Vincent's knees.

_There's one missing..._

"_Look out!_"

The tears filling her eyes prevented Tifa from heeding Barret's frantic warning; something cracked against her skull and knocked her out.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	16. Nightmare

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been sent on a guilt trip.

**A/N:**I know That's Not The Way the gas chamber worked, but poison blown directly in your face is particularly fast-acting, so Tifa is unlikely to survive long enough to free herself.

Also, the _Highwind_ apparently lacks captain's chairs (plus a few other important amenities) – but dammit, Cid deserves one!

Playing hob with the hamlet of Banora from _Crisis Core_, and completely rebuilding Mideel Town into something a little less ramshackle that includes a large, modern clinic run by ShinRa.

**Warnings:**** Depiction of sexual assault. **Coarse language, violence, canon abuse.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, who deliver _fabulous_ concrit!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Sixteen: Nightmare**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_Cloud...? _

_I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry..._

_I couldn't keep my promise to protect you._

_I never told you how much I cared about you._

_Cloud.._.

"Fin'ly wakin' up? _That_'s a fuckin' relief!"

"Barret...?" Shielding her eyes against the glare, Tifa slowly opened them, blinked several times, then frowned at the circular metal light fixture hanging overhead. _That looks like... something from an operating room?_

Heavy boots tromped across the room, and a familiar craggy, scarred face swam into view. "How ya feelin'?"

"Hungry."

"No surprise – ya been out cold fer about a week."

"A _week_?" Sitting bolt upright, Tifa had to lie back down again when her head and her stomach resented the sudden change in altitude. "A week?" she faintly repeated.

"Ya took damage when that piece o' equipment whacked ya inna head on th' _Highwind_. We almost lost ya overboard." Barret's massive hand awkwardly patted hers. "An' that bald Turk came by, askin' about Tifa – tol' 'im she'd been injured an' had left the team to recuperate."

Tifa was briefly confused by the way Barret was referring to her in the third person, but as she opened her mouth, she realized he was telling her that the room was likely bugged. "Er, glad I didn't go for a dive."

Barret's expression sobered. "D'ya wanna know... 'bout _him_?"

"I'm afraid to ask," Tifa mumbled, ashamed of her fear of hearing confirmation that Cloud was gone forever.

"Nobody's found a body – so that's hopeful, right?"

"You saw the cavern ceiling collapse," she said dully, pushing herself back up to sitting. Finally noticing the IV in her arm, she yanked out the needle and the securing tape, then pressed on the bleeding entry point. "Cloud's amazing, but even he couldn't survive being submerged in pure mako for very long." Taking a good look at her surroundings, which included the gurney she was sitting on, Tifa frowned again. "What _is_ this place?"

"The medical brig inside the Junon base. I stuck wi' ya when the _Highwind_ landed; the others managed to escape when fucking ShinRa tried to arrest 'em."

Tifa stared at Barret in disbelief. "Arrest? Don't they know Meteor's been summoned?"

"They ain't fussed 'bout _that_... yet. Got other stuff ta worry 'bout. 'Member those big-ass monsters we saw in th' crater? They're called 'Weapons', an' they been on a tear, ripping up shit all over th' Planet an' Rufus Shinra's been puttin' his gilded ass onna line fightin' 'em. Don't trust that fucker none, but he's got guts."

"What about Sephiroth? Any sign of him?"

"There's a huge fucking barrier 'round the crater – they're callin' it the 'Northern Crater' now - reckon he's finishin' regenerating his body now that Meteor's been summoned."

"Is there any _good_ news?"

"Nope. The whole Planet's runnin' outta time."

"Time... how close _is_ Meteor?" Barret strode across the room and punched a button. Sturdy metal shutters began rising, revealing a bank of windows; ignoring the protests of her stomach, Tifa shot off the bed and pressed her hands against the glass. Hanging menacingly in the western sky, a huge flaming ball was clearly visible, its luminescence reflecting off the clouds more brightly than even the sun itself. "How much longer?"

"They're guessin' 'bout a week."

"So, do we just give up?"

"First, we gotta get outta here, an' then we'll figger out what ta do."

"This glass isn't that thick..." The sound of the door sliding open swung them both to face a woman pushing a covered trolley. Any ideas of making a break for it were stalled when she was followed by a pair of heavily armed SOLDIERs, Second Class. Whipping off the cover, she revealed two food trays – which incidentally proved that the room was indeed bugged, since they knew Tifa was now awake. Arranging the trays on a metal table near the door, the woman shot both Barret and Tifa shirty looks before exiting with her red-clad escort... all in complete silence.

As the door closed, Tifa glanced at Barret. "Friendly types."

"We're AVALANCHE – the big, bad bogeymen that ShinRa's bin tellin' the Planet are evil terrorists. Lucky they don' poison the chow."

Her stomach growled as Barret took the lid off one of the trays, releasing a delicious aroma and revealing a substantial spread. "Bit fancier than usual," he observed, tucking in with gusto.

"Special occasion?" Tifa commented, following suit with the other tray. The meal was fresh, hot and decently prepared. _The kitchen must be close by_ _instead of in the bowels of the base._ Suddenly ravenous, she ignored a niggling voice concerned about poison and rapidly inhaled the food.

They had both finished and were sipping the provided tea when the door opened again, this time framing a grim-looking Rufus Shinra, who raked them with a sharp glance. "I figured our runaway SOLDIER would've shown up by now to rescue his comrades; Cloud Strife was a failure in more ways than one."

"Shut your mouth," Tifa hissed, slamming down her cup.

"Insubordination, Laurence? I could have you executed for that," he sneered. "However, since I can only condemn you once, it'll be for deserting to AVALANCHE."

Reigning in her temper, Tifa remarked, "I see you've caught up on your reading."

Heidegger waddled into the room. "The preparations for the execution are complete, Mr. President."

"What could you _possibly_ gain from executing us now?"

Rufus examined his fingertips. "The public wants a scapegoat; laying the blame on AVALANCHE is convenient."

"Technically speaking, it's _Sephiroth_'s fault – but I'll bet you haven't announced that he's even involved."

"We gave him a state funeral, so he stays dead. AVALANCHE is blamed for the explosion of Reactor One and the destruction of Sector Seven, so executing you will make people feel that justice has been done."

"I'm sure they'll be mightily comforted that ShinRa has its priorities straight," Tifa said acidly.

"Yer all kinds o' fucked up, Shinra," Barret exclaimed. "Ain't gonna stop Meteor, an' if everyone's dead, who the fuck's gonna _care_, anyways?"

"Look at it this way – you'll go to your deaths relatively peacefully, instead of screaming into the void like the rest of us in a few days."

"Mebbe _you_ should take the fucking chamber for a test drive, since it'll be a 'peaceful death'."

"It isn't every day you get to witness the end of the world." Rufus smiled mirthlessly and beckoned; a squad of heavily-armed SOLDIERs, Second Class, filed into the room and pointed their weapons at the pair. "Take them away."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_Is that a gold statue of old man Shinra? How... tasteful. _ The Second Class behind her gave a warning prod with his rifle; Tifa managed to avoid stumbling as she sped up. Flexing her arms again, testing the strength of the manacles, she had to admit they'd done a good job of restraint. _No easy chance of escape, darn it!_

As they approached a set of steel doors, the pair of guards flanking the riveted panels rolled them back, revealing rows of chairs filled with reporters. Scarlet vamped for a cameraman in front of a long table stacked with press releases at the front of the room. While the SOLDIERs hustled them forwards, Scarlet dramatically gestured. "Take a good look, ladies and gentlemen! These are the AVALANCHE scum that have brought this calamity down on us!"

Tifa curled her lip; as they came to a stop in front of Scarlet, she had a flash of inspiration. Turning to the cameraman training his lens on her, she asked, "Is that thing on?"

"It's being broadcast live to the entire Planet!" Scarlet crowed. "People _love_ this stuff, even if they won't admit it!"

Tifa took a deep breath and looked squarely into the camera. "The truth is, we were trying to _stop_ Meteor - while ShinRa did _nothing_. They were more worried about catching us than preventing Meteor – and still are. Instead of working with us to find a way to save our Planet, ShinRa is wasting time with this pointless execution."

"Cut! Cut! Erase that tape!" Scarlet screamed.

The cameraman backed away. "Too late, ma'am," he mumbled. "Live feed, remember?"

"Hey... point that fucking thing my way – I got somethin' to say," Barret said heavily, and despite Scarlet's loud objections, the cameraman did as he was asked – probably because it put him farther out of her reach. As she chased after him, screeching, one of the reporters casually stuck out his foot and sent her sprawling, and then another clumsily tripped over her while moving to a better seat. By the time the guards had sorted things out and helped an angry Scarlet to her feet, Barret had addressed the camera. "Marlene... if yer watchin', I'm _sorry_, princess. Yer ol' daddy won't be comin' home no more, but don' _ever_ forget that he loves ya more than _anythin_'."

Surprisingly, Scarlet's triumphant mood was restored by Barret's heartfelt words. "Oh, that's _gold_, right there. The public just eats up tearful goodbyes!"

Barret's only reply was a fiery glare; Scarlet actually took a step back, then turned to Tifa. "Come on, SOLDIER – I'll do you first," she smirked.

"Take _me_ first!" Barret shouted, struggling against his bonds.

"All in good time, big boy," Scarlet purred, blowing him a kiss. "Enjoy the preview of your death agonies courtesy of your friend." Another guard spun the wheel on an airlock-type door and swung it open; Scarlet gestured to Tifa. "Right this way, handsome... step into my parlour."

The SOLDIER behind Tifa shoved her in the small of his back with the butt of his weapon; she staggered forward and nearly fell over the raised doorsill into a small, cramped room lined with piping. In the centre, bolted to the floor, was a metal chair fitted with heavy-duty locking cuffs. Beside it waited another Second Class.

"Show our guest to his seat."

Tifa tried to resist, but the SOLDIER behind her was having none of it; he kicked her in the back of the knee and when her leg buckled, he spun her around and slammed her into the chair. Ramming the muzzle of his rifle into the side of Tifa's head, he hissed, "_Don't_ get any ideas," emphasizing the threat with another forceful jab. "I'll have your brains spattered all over that wall before you can even blink... _traitor_."

"Now, now - no need to be so vulgar," Scarlet admonished, as the other Second Class silently opened Tifa's manacles and then secured her wrists with the cuffs. "You can go now," Scarlet said to both of them.

"But – ma'am...!" protested the SOLDIER who still had his weapon pressed against Tifa's temple.

"I _said_ you can leave," Scarlet snapped. The part of the SOLDIER's face visible under his helmet turned a shade of red that matched his uniform, and he hastily obeyed, followed by his compatriot.

Unnoticed in their rush, a key fell out of the second SOLDIER's belt – but Tifa saw it. Moving quickly, she stretched out her foot and dragged the little piece of hope close enough to hide it under her boot. _I hope this opens the cuffs, not his footlocker! _

Scarlet was too busy making sure the door was secured to notice Tifa's gymnastics. "Isn't this cozy?" she sighed, turning off the camera pointing directly at the chair. "Just making sure that we won't be interrupted..."

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked.

Trailing a slim hand across Tifa's shoulders before sliding a finger down into the high neck of her captive's uniform sweater, Scarlet hooked out the chain and inspected the dog tag hanging from it. "T. Laurence... what does the 'T' stand for, handsome?"

Glaring, Tifa spat, "Why do you care?"

"I don't, really. It's mainly for the press corps, so they can find and interview your poor parents, who are probably ready to die of shame that their darling boy became a terrorist."

"My parents are dead."

"_So_ sorry to hear that," Scarlet said in syrupy tones as she slid her stocking-clad knee onto the chair between Tifa's thighs. "Allow me to express my _deepest _sympathy."

_This is __not__ happening! _ When Tifa leaned back in a vain attempt to avoid Scarlet's oncoming bosom, the headrest stopped her retreat.

"Bet you've never felt anything _this_ amazing on your face," Scarlet smugly commented, half-smothering Tifa with her breasts.

Tifa just closed her eyes, held her breath and stoically endured being thoroughly mashed by a pair of heavily perfumed and rather squishy feminine attributes. _I'm very, __very__ glad that no-one will __ever__ find out about this whether I survive or not. I'm __also__ very glad that it's me and not Barret being put through this, because he'd be dead of mortification about now._ She was abruptly released, gagging on Scarlet's heavy floral scent.

"Did I take your breath away? Let me help you with that." First speechless with horror and then thoroughly revolted by Scarlet's aggressive attempts to kiss her, Tifa clamped her lips shut and growled warningly. Scarlet pulled back and archly asked, "Am I coming on too strong for you?" before launching another assault. This time, she pinched shut Tifa's nose with clear intent of forcing her mouth open.

_That's it – I've had enough of this bitch! _Pretending to give in, Tifa complied – and then snapped her teeth, narrowly missing the tip of Scarlet's tongue when her attacker foolishly attempted to take advantage of the apparent opening.

"Ooh, you naughty boy! I'd love to play with you for a few hours until you were begging me for release... in more ways than one. We'll just have to move on to the main event." Despite everything that had already occurred, Tifa froze in shock when Scarlet palmed her crotch and cooed, "Nice package, handsome - I can't let it completely go to waste."

Red-faced and furious, Tifa snarled, "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

"Giving me something to remember you by – but not as much as _I'd_ like." Scarlet hiked up her gown around her waist, revealing matching red lace panties, and straddled her dumbfounded victim's lap. Proceeding to grind herself against an absolutely disgusted Tifa, Scarlet murmured throatily, "What's the matter? Don't I turn you on?"

Tifa bared her teeth and gritted out, "You're _not_ my type."

Scarlet went very still before a sneer disfigured her carefully made-up face. "No... I suppose not. You had it pretty hard for that First Class." Standing up, she straightened her clothing before viciously slapping Tifa across the face. "Enjoy your agonizing, pointless death, Laurence." Flipping the switch on the camera and then pressing a large, metal button located on the wall below it, she wrenched open the door and stalked out. It slammed shut behind her, and the grating sound of the lock sliding home was loud in the confined space.

Tifa spent a few seconds staring up at the blinking light over the camera lens before she gathered her wits, just before a sibilant hiss announced that valves were opening. As the gas began emanating from multiple outlets, it formed wispy pale eddies that chased each other across the floor. _Better grab the key... fast! _ Carefully manoeuvring her boots, she caught the oversized key between them. _Lucky they didn't bind my feet – shoulda kicked Scarlet when I had the chance. Maybe the gas will discourage them from busting in here to stop me? If I can't get past that door, I'm toast even if I do free myself – they just won't be able to watch me die. _

She was in the process of folding her body in such a way as to bring her feet high enough so she could bend over and grab the key between her teeth when a high-pitched klaxon began to ring. Startled and half-deafened by the volume, she nearly dropped the key into the deadly fog as a voice shrieked, "_Emergency! Emergency! Weapon approaching! All military personnel report to battle stations!_"

_They'll be too busy to bother with me!_ Rejuvenated, Tifa went to work with a will. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes against the vapours, she bent over and felt around for the key. Failing, she huffed lightly in frustration – and the instantaneous agony that erupted inside her mouth from the gas nearly made her retch. Sitting upright, gasping and spitting, she managed to catch her breath... then noticed that the deadly fumes were writhing around the seat of the chair. _Dammit! Nothing to lose...!_

Desperation – and a good deal of luck – conspired to bump the key against her chin on her second try. _Thank the gods!_ Sitting upright, the key clenched between her teeth, Tifa noted that the klaxon was effectively blocking all sound from the outside and spared a thought for Barret. _I wonder if he's managed to escape in the confusion? Maybe he'll find a spare uniform like we did on the Cargo Ship and bluff his way out._

Gripping the key firmly between her teeth, she went to work on the right-hand cuff. _I really, really hope this works!_ The lock was stiff; it took some fiddling, and possibly a couple layers of enamel, before the tumblers fell into place and the cuff popped open. Wiping her sweating brow with her free hand, Tifa assessed the ever-deepening gas and moved quickly to open the other. As the cuff released, she became aware of ominous vibrations beneath her feet that became stronger with each passing second.

"_Open blast doors! Activate Sister Ray! Target – Weapon!_" the voice shouted over the klaxon's blare, and Tifa automatically looked for something to hang on to. A moment later, the entire room shuddered from the recoil of the giant cannon, causing the gas to slop up against the walls like smoky liquid; it now reached Tifa's waist. The vibrations paused for several heartbeats before continuing, this time shaking her prison so hard that she was afraid to try moving for the door in case she was thrown off her feet.

Then her glance fell on the metal button below the camera. _I wonder if that's the 'off' switch, too?_ Taking a chance, she dove across the short distance and smacked the button, then was rewarded by the sound of the valves closing. Slumping momentarily, she jumped when the voice shrilled, "_Weapon dead ahead! Speed, fifty knots! Artillery – fire at will!_"

_I wonder why they don't fire the Sister Ray again?_ Making her way around the perimeter of the room, using pipes as handholds as the rolling thunder of artillery barrages shook the walls and floor, Tifa tried the door and wasn't surprised to find it tightly sealed. _No keyhole on the inside, dammit. _

It was very fortunate that Tifa had a firm grip on the piping while she contemplated her next move when the Weapon's counter-attack sliced through the steel cladding and reinforced concrete of the base's exterior. As a substantial hole opened up in the gas chamber's wall, Tifa was sprayed with shrapnel; lancing pain in her shoulder and thigh announced she'd been wounded. _Shit! _

Grimacing, Tifa pulled a large metal splinter out of her leg and then cursed a blue streak that Cid would've been proud of when the open wound came into contact with the gas; the burning sensation nearly made her pass out. _Better move it; hope I can find someone to Heal me!_ Hobbling over, she inspected the ragged edge of the hole, the blue sky beyond beckoning. The metal was still hot enough to burn her gloves; ignoring the discomfort, Tifa determinedly hauled herself up far enough to look out when she glimpsed a gigantic creature rising out of the ocean, the armoured spikes on its head and back glistening in the sun – just as the Sister Ray fired at point-blank range. Hanging on for dear life as first the cannon's recoil and then the Weapon's death-plunge threatened to shake her back into the sloshing gas, Tifa gritted her teeth until the minor earthquake stopped.

_C'mon, Lockhart – you can do it!_ Swinging first her uninjured leg and then the other over the side, Tifa gingerly began edging her way down the steep front of the Sister Ray's emplacement and immediately discovered that it was not only harder than it looked, but it also was going to take longer than she thought. _I hope my body will hold out._ Peeking downward, she instantly regretted it. _Gods… don't look, don't look…!_ Pressing herself against the wall, she concentrated on finding footholds and handholds; it wasn't until her body was beginning to shake from the tension that she risked another look. _If I can reach that ledge, the slope below is slightly less vertical – just have to make it._

A shout from above broke her concentration; carefully tilting her head, Tifa spotted a helmet, quickly followed by the rest of a red-uniformed Second Class. _He's __not__ going to… yes, he is. Oh, __shit__._ A coil of rope unspooled, falling far below until it appeared to almost reach the blast shield of the Sister Ray... but it was just out of reach. The SOLDIER rapidly rappelled towards her, but what interested Tifa was the fact that he appeared to be working alone. _If that's correct, then I have a chance, but if he pulls a gun, I'm toast…. _She was just deciding on the best plan of attack when the SOLDIER dropped level with her. A large hand gun was indeed strapped to his thigh, but instead of drawing it, he pulled off his helmet and tossed it over his shoulder.

"Vincent?"

"Damsels in distress are supposed to demurely wait in their tower to be rescued," he intoned.

Tifa was momentarily distracted by the fact she could see most of Vincent's face, but managed to cheek, "I guess we didn't read the same fairy stories… and besides, I'm not exactly a 'damsel' right now."

"Point." Stepping sideways, he said, "You will have to hang onto me in a somewhat compromising position in order to facilitate this…."

"My dignity has already been compromised once already today – just get us down from here!"

If Vincent was surprised by her statement, he gave no sign. "Let me Cure your wounds first." His hand glowed, and within a few seconds, she was pain-free. "I am pleased that you were able to put the key to good use."

"That was you?"

"I am sorry I couldn't prevent whatever atrocities Scarlet inflicted upon you." Tifa's face flamed as red as Vincent's purloined uniform; he noticed but chose not to comment, instead continuing, "Apparently her proclivities regarding handsome young SOLDIERs are well-known. The one who was behaving rather rudely towards you with his rifle was appalled that she would choose to carry on in such a manner with a condemned prisoner."

"'Appalling' doesn't quite begin to cover that bitch. We'd better get moving." A few awkward and potentially suicidal mid-air manoeuvres later, Tifa had her arms locked around Vincent's chest and her legs around his hips.

"Can you still work the rope?" she asked nervously, as she realized just how precarious their position could be if someone managed to draw a bead on them.

"Yes," he calmly replied, giving no sign that he had in effect doubled his body weight and there was at least a hundred feet between them and safety. "Ready?"

Tifa was proud of not shrieking like a little girl as her stomach remained somewhere up above while the rest of her plummeted towards the blast shield at an incredible rate of speed. The wind whistling in her ears was deafening, but before she could worry about not being able to hear any incoming attacks, they abruptly slowed just before Vincent's boots hit the shield's thick armour plate. "Nice landing," she complimented the gunslinger, letting go as soon as decently possible.

"Our ride is picking us up at the end of the cannon," Vincent said, disentangling himself from the impromptu climbing harness he'd rigged up.

"All right – let's mosey."

He blinked. "That sounds… _odd_, coming from anyone else."

"Sorry."

"Keep using his catch-phrases, and we'll elect _you_ to lead the team," Vincent blandly threatened as they ran across the massive shield and then scuttled over the breech of the Sister Ray. "We have company."

Tifa glanced over her shoulder and spotted a pair of Second Classes in hot pursuit - with an indecently-gowned figure hustling along in their wake. _Persistent bitch – but I have to admire someone who can run in stiletto heels because_ _Shiva knows __I __can't!_ They had made it onto the barrel and were only a few dozen feet from the muzzle when they slowed to a stop, the brisk onshore wind tugging at their hair and clothing. "They're late," she observed.

"It appears that we must make a stand here," Vincent murmured, releasing the safety on his gun.

"Suits me," Tifa said grimly, punching her fist into her palm. "I have a score to settle." Turning and striding back towards their pursuers along the massive barrel, she halted and waited. The SOLDIERs stopped about fifteen feet away, warily assessing both her and the apparent turncoat Second Class behind her; for her part, Tifa kept one eye on their weapons while Scarlet caught up.

Scarlet was rather out of breath when she shouldered her way through her escort and clattered up to Tifa, her cheeks as red as her flaming dress – and apparently unaware that putting herself within arm's reach of her former victim while berating 'him' wasn't a really bright idea. "Damn you, Laurence! You _ruined_ the execution! It was a public relations _disaster_ - everyone's laughing at me!"

"I'm _terribly_ sorry," Tifa sneered. Scarlet snarled and stepped forward, her hand raised, but the blow never connected. Instead, she let out a pained squeal when her wrist was roughly gripped and another, more frightened one, when she was yanked closer to her captor. Looming over the smaller woman, Tifa glared at the SOLDIERs. "Keep your weapons in your holsters. My buddy back there is a crack shot and losing your heads over this bitch isn't worth it."

"Oooh, you bastard! How _dare_ you! Take _this_!" The nails on Scarlet's free hand slashed across Tifa's cheek, but when Tifa pulled back her fist to retaliate, Scarlet shrieked, "You wouldn't _dare _hit a lady!"

"I'm not." Tifa's first punch rocked Scarlet back on her towering heels; the second sent the woman stumbling, quickly followed by panicked screeching as she lost her footing on the curved surface of the cannon's barrel and began sliding.

While the two SOLDIERs dove to Scarlet's rescue, Vincent called, "_Run!_"

Turning, Tifa finally saw the massive airship rising up from beneath the cannon, the sound of its rotors filling her ears. Racing after Vincent, she noted the name 'Highwind' scrawled across the fuselage in spray-painted letters five feet high, next to a scantily-clad pin-up girl. _Looks like Cid marked his territory!_ Then the deck came into view, and the sight of a madly-waving Barret and a cheering Yuffie lifted her spirits.

Vincent leapt off the end of the barrel and managed to seize hold of a railing support; he shouted encouragement as a mooring line snaked over the side of the airship. The _Highwind_ continued rising and Tifa swore colourfully as the first bullets whizzed past her head. Above, Vincent coolly returned fire while Barret laid down a barrage to discourage her pursuers from coming any closer. Putting on an extra burst of speed, Tifa launched herself off the cannon and grabbed for the cable.

She missed.

The line swung lazily out of her reach, as if it were teasing her. For one moment of crystal clarity that would stay with her for the rest of her life, Tifa noticed the blue sky and bluer sea, the soft-looking whitecaps and arabesques of fishing boat wakes decorating the water's surface far below. The sun warmed her skin, the sea breeze lifting her hair and filling her nose with the scents of salt and ozone – just before gravity asserted itself.

_I'm going to die._

_Will I… see Cloud again?_

Looking upward, she registered the horrified expressions of her team mates, hanging over the railing of the _Highwind_ as the airship continued its flight. Yuffie's mouth was open, the teen obviously screaming, but Tifa couldn't hear past the air rushing past her ears. She closed her eyes. _Don't watch – I don't want you to watch this. _

The numbing sensation of free-falling only lasted a split second before the tail end of the thick rope practically threw itself into her arms and her survival instincts kicked her reflexes into action. Wrapping herself around the line before she thought about what she was doing, Tifa slid a short length down until her boots hit the knot securing the mooring loop at the very end and that gave her some stability as the cable took her on a wild, whiplashing ride before the force of its rapid uncoiling dissipated.

When her teeth stopped rattling and her stomach stopped flipping, Tifa cautiously looked around. Bobbing gently in the slipstream of the _Highwind_'s passage, she watched the sunlight catch and gleam on the long barrel of the Sister Ray as Junon rapidly receded into the distance. _We're heading north?_ The air temperature steadily cooled and the ocean's surface took on a textured appearance as their altitude continued increasing. _Should I start climbing? I could end up with hypothermia if I don't do something!_

Glancing upwards, Tifa realized that the distance between her and the _Highwind_'s deck was shrinking rapidly as a winch had obviously been employed. Several moments later, she was grabbed under the arms and hoisted over the railing by Barret and Vincent. The gunslinger let go, but Barret didn't; he dragged Tifa into a rib-cracking bear hug. "Thought we'd fuckin' lost ya, too" he muttered into her shoulder. "Didn't know _what_ I was gonna tell Marlene."

Tifa allowed herself to cling to his familiar bulk. "First, we have to somehow let her know that _you're_ alive; hopefully Elmyra didn't let her watch that broadcast."

"Marlene knows her ol' daddy's jus fine," he said, sounding inordinately pleased. "We got us a new ally."

"Quit hoggin', ya big lug!"

Then Yuffie's arms were around her neck, half-strangling her, and when Tifa's already-shaky knees finally gave way, Nanaki was there to cushion her slide to the deck. Holding onto both of them, she exhaled deeply.

"Why're you crying?" Yuffie asked anxiously.

Pressing the back of her glove to her face and blinking at the liquid dampening it, Tifa slowly replied, "I... don't know."

"For many things, I suspect," Nanaki murmured, and licked her cheek, his tongue lightly rasping. "Let us go below, as Cid-san appears determined to put us into low earth orbit."

"Is ShinRa pursuing us?"

"Nope," Barret declared. "All their available transport is either fightin' Weapons or stormin' the Northern Crater."

Yuffie helped Tifa upright and then pulled her arm across her shoulders. "I can walk," Tifa protested when Nanaki also pressed his shoulder against her leg.

"We prefer to not take any more chances with your safety today."

They were negotiating their way down a staircase when something occurred to Tifa. "Wait a minute... Yuffie? Why aren't you barfing?"

"The on-board infirmary contains a supply of Tranquilizers, which allows Yuffie-kun to remain functional," Nanaki said, carefully herding the two of them across a metal catwalk suspended over the engines.

"Also can't complain about there not being enough fresh air on an airship," the teen wanly joked, but Tifa noted that her colour was much better than usual.

They entered an airy space flooded with light by a huge, metal-framed nacelle forming the prow of the _Highwind_'s gondola. A number of consoles crammed with electronics were scattered throughout the bridge, the most prominent of which was currently occupied by Cid.

"Welcome aboard!" the pilot breezily hailed, sprawling in a battered leather captain's chair. He had a steaming cup of tea in one hand, the other wrapped around what must be the controls of the airship, and a lit cigarette clenched between his teeth. All in all, it was the most contented Tifa had ever seen the pilot as Yuffie led her to a chair behind a console.

"Hullo, lassie. Good t' see ya again."

"C-Cait Sith?"

"The second of that name," the stuffed cat said politely, doffing his crown and executing a deep bow to the dumbfounded woman.

"_This_ is our new ally?"

"He's a regular fucking buccaneer," Cid chortled. "Nicked the _Highwind_ right out from under the sentries' fucking noses."

"He also let me talk to Marlene jus' now," Barret said, and Tifa knew that alone would have redeemed Cait in the big man's eyes. "She an' Elmyra are safe in Kalm."

Tifa beckoned the toy closer and stooped to look in its electronic eyes. "Reeve Tuesti?"

Cait's voice deepened and smoothed. "Yes, Miss Lockhart?"

"You're taking a huge risk."

Furry shoulders lifted in a diffident shrug. "It was a surprisingly easy decision, particularly after I found out what happened to Miss Gainsborough. Helping to embarrass Scarlet was worth the risk because I absolutely _loathe _that witch."

"You and me both," Tifa muttered, then reached out to shake the cat's paw. "Thank you – for everything."

"Aw, t'was nothin', lassie!" Cait chirped, the abrupt shift in tone jarring.

Tifa cocked her head. "Was Mr. Tuesti interrupted?"

"Aye. I dinna need him to answer yer questions, though. He breathed life inta me, but I speak for m'self."

At that moment, Vincent strode into the room dressed in his usual garb, and took a seat at another console; Yuffie immediately moved to hang over his shoulder. "Our destination?" he asked, studying the various screens and scopes.

"Well, that depends on the new boss." Cid drawled, taking a swig out of his mug.

"The new...?"

"You, T-san," Nanaki said. "We decided that you should lead us."

"M-me?"

"We prefer our leaders in uniform," Vincent deadpanned.

"I... um, I'm not sure I'm the best choice," Tifa faltered. "I, er, don't have any experience... and I have _no_ idea how to defeat Sephiroth. The only person who had half a chance against him was Cloud – because of the Jenova cells they both shared." Rubbing her hand over her face, Tifa sighed. "Cloud might not have made SOLDIER, but he _did_ have military experience and he was also a natural leader. I'm neither."

Barret dropped his hand onto Tifa's shoulder. "We didn't follow Spiky b'cause he had the big fucking sword, y'know. Cocky little shit pissed me off, but I let him lead b'cause _you_ believed in him. But... he knew what he was doin'. How ta get inta - an' more important – how ta get _outta_ shit, puttin' hisself in harm's way, takin' a hit fer someone else, makin' sure we stayed safe an' lookin' out fer all o' us. Sound like someone _else_ we know?" When Tifa shrugged helplessly, he gently rapped her on the head with his knuckles. "An' ya can cook, too."

Her shoulders slumping further, Tifa mumbled, "I don't think I'm up to it."

"Ya had a bit more piss 'n vinegar in ya when ya woke up."

"I'm... _tired_. Of the running, and the fighting... and the deaths. Cloud's gone, and I never told him how much..." A ragged sob took her completely by surprise; Tifa buried her face in her hands. Within moments, she was surrounded - Yuffie fiercely hugging, Nanaki burrowing his head into her lap and loudly purring, Barret and Vincent scruffing her hair or gripping her shoulder.

"Let 'er get it outta 'er system," Cid gruffly said to Cait. "She's been dealing with the same fucking shit as we have, plus still bein' stuck as a guy."

"_I_ think the lassie's done rather well, considering," Cait nodded gravely.

Tifa was embarrassed by how long it took her to bring herself back under control, but no-one else seemed to mind. She apologized anyways. "_Sorry._ I just..."

"Had enough? Me, too, sometimes," Yuffie whispered. Smiling, the teenager produced a handful of tissues and dabbed at Tifa's wet cheeks. "Saving the world's a big concept, so I'm gonna stick with one I can handle – protecting my friends and family. It won't be easy – even if Cloud was here, it'd _still_ be dang tough – but we have a chance to take down Sephiroth if we all work together. We have to try... for both Aerith and Cloud's sakes."

Hanging her head, Tifa murmured, "I'm sorry, but... all I want is to see Cloud again, and there's only one way that's going to happen."

"Ya seem mighty sure that Spiky's dead," Barret rumbled, a glint in his eye.

"Like I told you earlier – Cloud couldn't hold his breath forever."

"He wouldn't have to," Nanaki chimed in.

"What do you mean?"

"That water in the Northern Crater was liquid mako – or, more properly, the Lifestream. By its very name, it contains the necessary ability to sustain life." Nanaki tilted his head to better watch Tifa's expression. "Recall those giant, broken test tubes we found in the basement of the ShinRa Mansion? I am sure that they were filled with liquid mako."

Tifa blew her nose on one of Yuffie's tissues and thought. "Cloud remembered being held in one of them," she said dully. "And he may have been submerged in mako for months at a time, if not years. So he might possibly be alive – but how do we find him before Meteor strikes? We only have a week, at most."

"The Lifestream circulates just below the Planet's surface; Cloud-san could literally be anywhere by now," Nanaki admitted. "However, there are places where the Lifestream breaks through the crust."

"That doesn't narrow it down very much." Tifa glumly pointed out. "There are mako springs hidden all over the Planet."

"Most cracks that give rise to mako springs are too small, but we have discovered that a large vent exists in the ocean floor in at least one location on the Planet."

Despite the odds against Cloud's survival, a very tiny spark of hope ignited in Tifa's heart as Cid said, "We're headin' down to Mideel to see if Spiky's pitched up after we pick up my original crew tonight in Rocket Town. Caitie-cat over there can plug himself into the on-board computer to help with navigation, but my boys want to get in on the action."

Vincent added, "Cait Sith has also informed us that ShinRa is combing the Planet for Huge Materia with their usual disregard for human life. They intend to load it into Cid's rocket and fire it at Meteor in an attempt to either destroy it or divert it."

Nanaki rubbed his muzzle against Tifa's leg. "I doubt the attempt will be successful, because Meteor was summoned by magic and I suspect it can only be defeated by magic."

"Aerith."

"The Weapons may have been summoned by her prayer," Nanaki gravely agreed. "However, they are not attacking the Northern Crater."

"Are they _protecting_ Sephiroth?" Tifa gasped.

"It is more likely that Sephiroth is controlling the Weapons, because their targets so far have been mainly ShinRa installations," Vincent interjected. "If his malign influence can be destroyed, they may then turn their considerable strength against Meteor."

"So it all comes back to killing Sephiroth," she sighed.

"Yep. So we're gonna take a chance an' look fer Spiky, but if we don' find 'im, we're jus' gonna have ta suck it up an' bump off Sephiroth ourselves. Ya with us?"

Tifa ran her hand through her spiky hair and tried to smile. "Okay."

"Good," Barret said firmly. "Dun like it when th' toughest gal I know goes all wimpy-like. Ain't no gettin' off this train we're on 'til we reach the end o' the line – an' the final station's in th' Northern Crater."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"If you want some apples, you have to go up to New Banora – a couple o' miles _that_ way."

"Er, thanks... what _is_ this place?" Tifa asked while keeping a firm grip on Yuffie's belt so the teen didn't fall over the lip of the gigantic sinkhole they and Barret were inspecting from a not-so-safe distance.

"It's called Old Banora," the man said, feeding his restless Chocobo a handful of greens. "I 'spect you know why there's a new one, bein' as you're from ShinRa."

"Um, no. Must've been before my time."

"They never told you about the Genesis Rebellion?"

Tifa frowned, but Barret said, "That's when General Rhapsodos went rogue an' took a whole army of SOLDIERs with him, right?" To Tifa, he added, "Happened 'bout seven years ago – you were still jus' a kid."

Yuffie piped up, "The last time I saw Zack, he was being deployed to Banora – probably chasing this Genesis guy."

"Yep. The general built himself a stronghold in the cave system under his hometown, an' ShinRa blew Banora all to hell in order to flush him out. The town was rebuilt an' the orchards replanted."

Glancing down into the blast crater, noting the shimmer of water very far below, Tifa shivered. "We're searching for a SOLDIER who recently went missing in action," she said to the man. "Have you heard anything?"

"A First Class, by any chance?" he queried.

Tifa barely restrained herself from jumping for joy, but Yuffie did it for her. Ignoring the teen's capering in favour of confirmation, Barret asked, "Did he have a big-ass sword with 'im?"

"There was a sword mentioned," their informant allowed, obviously enjoying the story. "Apparently the fishermen who found him had to use a winch to bring him on board, because they couldn't pry the weapon out of his grip."

"Do you know where he is now?" Tifa asked eagerly.

"At the ShinRa clinic in Mideel Town. Five miles south of here."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Excuse me, miss – I was told that a SOLDIER, First Class had been admitted...?"

The attractive young nurse, who had smiled _very_ brightly upon sighting what appeared to be a tall, dark, handsome SOLDIER approaching her station, suddenly sobered. "Yes, sir."

"Can I see him?" Tifa ruthlessly shoved the butterflies cavorting through her stomach into her mental broom closet and locked the door. _I have to remember that these people think I'm with the ShinRa military._

"Of course... may I see your ID?"

Tifa pulled the dog tags out of her sweater. "T. Laurence. SOLDIER, Third Class."

"Thank you," she said, scribbling something in a file. "This way, please."

Tifa was conscious of the racket that her boots made on the polished floors and tried to walk more quietly; her escort noticed. "You don't have to worry about disturbing anyone in this wing. We've sent most of our patients home due to the impending arrival of Meteor."

"Oh."

"I'm surprised that ShinRa hasn't allowed their personnel to go home to their families," the young woman continued.

"All leave has been cancelled while we're fighting to save the Planet," Tifa said carefully.

"May I ask you a question? Do you know of a Third Class named Thane Laurence?"

"No, miss... I'm sorry."

The young nurse sighed. "I knew it was a long shot, but I thought since you have the same last name, initial and rank that you might have met him during training."

"SOLDIER is a big organization, miss," Tifa managed to rasp around the lump in her throat. _It's __probably__ just a coincidence, but I __am__ using a dead man's identity._ "Er, is he your...?"

"My boyfriend," she replied wistfully.

Tifa broke out into a cold sweat. "Do you know where he was last deployed?" she couldn't help asking, while fearing the answer.

"Someplace west of here called the Temple of the Ancients." The nurse indicated a door, but when Tifa simply stood there, she instantly became concerned. "Are you all right?"

"Yes…. " Wiping her face with a shaking hand, Tifa tried to smile but failed badly.

The young woman touched her arm. Assuming that Tifa was distraught over her patient, she said, "This First Class - he's physically in good condition, but…."

"The fact that he even survived is a miracle," Tifa managed to reply while her stomach tied itself in knots.

"Just... don't be alarmed, all right?"

"Th-thanks for the heads-up." The nurse looked like she might say more, but then stepped back. Tifa proceeded into the room alone, feeling distinctly ill until she was distracted by the sight of a familiar sword propped in the corner by the window.

_It's him. It's __really__ him._ The bed was enclosed on three sides by thin curtains that swayed and billowed in the sea breeze from the open window; Tifa bit her lip as she edged around to the open forth side, guilt, anticipation and fear roiling her guts. "Hello, Commander," she said, trying for nonchalant when all she wanted to do was charge forward and throw her arms around him. There was no reply, but she became aware of a low, murmuring stream of words as she stared at the hunched figure seated in a wheelchair next to the bed. "Commander...?" she softly repeated, going down on one knee to look up into his face.

His eyes were pure, summer-sky blue... and completely devoid of expression as he babbled an incoherent torrent of disjointed words and sounds.

"Cloud..." Tifa whispered, stunned. Utterly deflated, she slowly tipped forward, resting her forehead on his knee, and then the tears flowed.

_It's all over. _

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	17. Reunion

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they've been completely traumatized.

**A/N:**Merrily warping Cloud's prenatal back-story to suit my ebil plans, which were influenced by the OAV _Last Order._ Inside the reactor, Cloud's eyes glow green once he's been skewered by Masamune – _before_ he was injected with mako and Jenova by Hojo - and Sephiroth smirks knowingly when he notices, as if he has inside information. I took this small interaction, added it to the hints in the game that Cloud is 'different' right from childhood (is merely bruised in a fall that nearly kills Tifa, felt 'superior' to the rest of the kids) and _ran_ with it.

The sequence of events inside the reactor is based on _Last Order_'s version, where the Jenova chamber and the reactor core are one in the same. Pinching dialogue and situations from _Last Order_ and _Crisis Core_.

In Japanese hospitals, family members are expected to stay with patients at all times during the day and assist the staff with patient care. The staff of the Mideel clinic has even higher expectations of Tifa, being as she's apparently with the ShinRa military and has therefore had medic training. Poor girl.

**Warnings:**Coarse language, violence, materia and canon abuse.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel. Love you guys!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Seventeen: Reunion**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I see ShinRa has finally arrived!"

Tifa wiped her face and forced herself upright to face the doctor. "What's wrong with him?"

"Acute mako poisoning," he replied. "Worst case I've seen in over twenty years. I'm surprised that he's still alive, because that amount would've killed even a normal SOLDIER."

"Mako poisoning?"

He squinted at Tifa's face. "Haven't had your shots yet, son?"

"No, sir. I, um, haven't taken the exams yet."

"Mm. Since Meteor's almost upon us, it looks like you'll miss out on the opportunity to experience severe disorientation and hallucinations – but nothing like _he's_ going through. He's very far away from us right now."

"Is there _anything_ you can do for him?"

Shaking his head, he said, "It takes time – something the world doesn't have much of right now. In cases less severe than his, the symptoms can last months." Pulling out a small clipboard, he said, "I'm Dr. Lassiter. What is this young man's name?"

Tifa was too devastated to fabricate. "Cloud Strife." She wasn't prepared for the doctor's startled reaction.

"Strife? Where's he from?"

"Nibelheim."

"Do you happen to know his father's first name?"

Something in Dr. Lassiter's eager tone reached through Tifa's mental exhaustion and set off alarm bells. "I can't recall."

He didn't appear to be put off. "Wouldn't _that_ be interesting…" he murmured, scribbling notes on the clipboard.

"What do you mean?"

"I have to look into it before I say anything else," he cheerily said. "In the meantime, there's a ShinRa airship hovering overhead and a Second Class intimidating my staff. Will I be releasing Commander Strife into your charge?"

"Our orders were to locate him; I'll check with my superiors." Tifa turned and placed her hand on Cloud's shoulder. "I'll be right back, sir" she said, squeezing firmly in hopes he would at least acknowledge her presence, but aside from a twitch in the muscle under her fingers, there was nothing. It was his lack of response that helped make up her mind. _I just hope the others will understand._

Walking quickly back down the hall towards the nurse's station, Tifa caught sight of Vincent, once again clad in the red uniform of a Second Class and wearing a pair of goggles to conceal his crimson eyes_._ Sighing deeply, Tifa hardened her resolve. _Barret will be so disappointed in me, but I have to do this. I can't leave Cloud on his own, not after everything that's happened to him. _Coming to a halt in front of Vincent, Tifa squared up, saluted smartly and was amused at the way his eyebrows shot up. "Commander Strife is in no condition to fight, sir."

"Why not?"

"The doctor has diagnosed him with acute mako poisoning. His mind is gone, sir."

"That is most unfortunate," Vincent murmured. "Walk with me, Laurence." He managed to give the impression of a cape flaring around him as he turned and exited the building.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," Tifa said to the nurse, who was plainly glad to see the back side of Vincent. "Commander Strife can't go with us, so I'm going to volunteer to remain behind with him." Unconsciously clenching her fists, Tifa continued, "He's been through so much, and done so much for all of us that he shouldn't be left on his own."

The young woman smiled softly. "He's lucky to have you as a friend."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"You wanna stay here wit' Spiky?"

"Yes." Flinching internally, Tifa did her best to keep a calm facade. _I might've known Vincent would insist on me doing this face-to-face. _

"_Dammit_, Tifa," Barret growled. "You sure 'bout this?"

"Yes."

"_Fuck._ Guess ya gotta do what ya think is best."

"I'm _sorry_ for leaving the team at a time like this," Tifa said, twisting her hands together. "But I can't abandon Cloud, either. He asked me to stay by his side, and I promised I would."

"That's practically a fucking marriage vow," Cid commented, blowing a smoke ring.

Barret shot a startled look at the pilot before demanding, "Is he right?"

Tifa instantly flushed brilliant scarlet, opened her mouth to deny Cid's assumption, then thought twice and nodded instead.

The big man grimaced. "Hope ya know what the hell yer doin'," he growled, but then belied his fierce expression with a roughly affectionate shoulder-pat that nearly knocked her over.

Yuffie stepped in and tightly hugged a still-glowing Tifa. "Maybe Cloud'll snap out of it if you're with him."

"Cross your fingers for us," she murmured, squeezing the teen until she was breathless. "All of you – be careful."

"Ah, don't you fucking worry 'bout us!" Cid grinned. "We got it under control."

Tifa cracked a smile. "Spoken like a true leader, Cid."

"Leader? _Me_? Fuck, _no!_ Too much fucking hassle!"

"You have the airship, and you have a loyal crew," she pointed out. "You obviously have successful command experience."

Cid blinked, then took a long drag on his cigarette and exhaled slowly. "All right," he grudgingly conceded. "We're gonna look into this Huge Materia business because it appears that fucking ShinRa's gonna fuck some more with Corel and Fort Condor, and then we'll come back to check on you. Like the kid says, maybe he'll snap outta it if you're with 'im."

"Ye an' th' laddie should be safe from bein' reported," Cait Sith announced. "Communication lines with th' mainland were disrupted several days ago by an earthquake, while ye were still out cold in Junon."

"Thanks, Cait."

He tipped her a wink. "'Specially since yer handsome mug was beamed live all over t'Planet, tellin' people 'bout ShinRa bein' idiots."

A few minutes later, as she was leaving the cockpit with Nanaki and Vincent, Yuffie dashed out of a door marked 'Crew Quarters'. "Wait!" Shoving two materia into Tifa's hands, the teen exclaimed, "Maybe one of these will work on Cloud?"

"Worth a shot." Smiling gratefully at Yuffie, Tifa added the Restore and Heal materia to her array. "Thanks."

As she climbed the stairs to the main deck with Vincent, Nanaki murmured, "Good luck, Tifa-san. Take care of yourself and Cloud-san."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Barely remembering to salute instead of wave, Tifa watched the _Highwind_ rise high into the clear afternoon sky, its fuselage glowing orange from Meteor's light. Vincent was the only member of her team on the deck, wearing his Second Class uniform for the benefit of any watchers, as he pretended to oversee the crew reeling in the mooring lines; he airily returned her salute. As the _Highwind_ disappeared over the mountains forming the backbone of the island, a shiver went down Tifa's spine and she hugged herself. _Will I ever see them again?_

"I felt the same way when I watched Thane and his friends leave for boot camp. You wish them luck, but at the same time, you don't want them to leave without you." The young nurse smiled sympathetically.

"Y-yeah."

"Um, my name's Julia. Julia Darrow."

Tifa straightened before pressing her hand to her heart and bowing – more to give herself time to think than anything else. "Teo Laurence," she replied, plucking a name out of the ether.

"Pleased to meet you." Clapping her hands, Julia said briskly, "I'm relieved that you're staying, because we could really use your help with Commander Strife. The orderly nearly put his back out last time!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_How__ do I get myself into these situations? I __really__ should've picked Caith Sith's brain for more information on the SOLDIER program!_

"There's a fresh gown for him and a set of scrubs for you, because your clothes are definitely going to get wet. Thane mentioned that his medic training was followed up by a standard, short-term posting to the base's infirmary, so I know that _you_ must also be familiar with the necessary procedures." Julia bustled out of the clinic's tiled washroom, leaving Tifa to contemplate how best to accomplish her current mission.

_Shower or bath? A shower is faster, but a bath is more thorough...gah. Shower it is. _

"Sorry about this, Cloud," she said to the man muttering obliviously in the wheelchair. "I'll try to make it quick." Rapidly divesting herself of her gloves, boots and socks, then rolling up her trouser legs, Tifa untied the strings securing Cloud's hospital gown. She tried not to look, but that didn't stop her from turning a fiery shade of scarlet as she pulled his arm across her shoulders, lifted him out of the wheelchair and manoeuvred him onto the stool in the open shower stall.

Covering his lap with a washcloth and moving the wheelchair out of the way, she turned on the water in the shower. "Okay... here we go."

Testing the warmth on her wrist before running it over his head and shoulders, she tensed when the incessant babbling went up in pitch, and then dropped again. Squirting a handful of shampoo into her palm, Tifa crouched in front of Cloud and began working it into his hair. His mumbling stopped entirely, and as she massaged his scalp, he leaned into her touch. "Cloud...?" she whispered, hope surging.

Smoothing the soapy spikes away from his face, Tifa held her breath... but when Cloud's blank gaze lifted to meet her eager one, she pasted a smile on her face and briskly continued washing his hair. "All right, close your eyes so I can rinse." He didn't react, and she fought back tears as she carefully held a washcloth over his face. Soaping and rinsing the rest of Cloud's body, she held it together until Sephiroth's scar was revealed by the receding suds.

The hand sprayer rocking on the tiles by her knees and steadily soaking her clothing, Tifa pressed her forehead against the mark on Cloud's chest. Biting down on her hand to muffle her sobs, she was close to completely losing control when she became aware that Cloud was trembling. _He's freezing while I'm having a breakdown. _

Ferociously scrubbing her eyes, Tifa sat back on her heels and again forced herself to adopt false cheer. "Sorry about that." Taking up the sprayer, she sluiced warm water over him; when the institutional lighting caught on the wet materia in her Bangle, the gleam brought her up short. _I wonder... activating the materia in the tub partially reversed Cloud's transformation, so maybe...?_ Contemplating the materia and then the sunken bathtub in the corner, Tifa made up her mind. "Sit tight for a minute, okay?" Hooking the sprayer into its holder so that Cloud was bathed in a steady stream of warmth, she turned on the taps in the tub. As it started filling, she considered the stairs leading down into the water. Looking between Cloud and the sling used for immobile patients, she bit her lip as she balanced the risks of not using it with the need for speed. _I could slip and hurt both of us, but I need to do this __fast__. Nothing for it._

Moving quickly so that she wouldn't have to think about what she was doing, Tifa locked the door, then stripped out of the rest of her gear and tied a towel around her waist. Turning off the sprayer, she lifted the nude, slippery swordsman into her arms, cautiously felt her way down the access stairs and seated them both in the tub. Arranging Cloud between her legs so that he was facing away from her and leaning back against her chest, Tifa looped her arm around his waist to make sure he wouldn't slide down. As the water rose higher on his body, Cloud's incessant jabbering seemed louder, and tears again threatened. Pinching the bridge of her nose to divert the despair threatening to overwhelm her, Tifa turned off the taps and muttered, "All right... let's give this a try."

Crossing her fingers as she equipped the Heal materia and cast Esuna, Tifa squinted against the brilliant green light vividly tinting the bathwater. _Similar reaction to when we tried to change Cloud back in Midgar. Gods, that seems like it was __years__ ago, not a few months!_ It was then she realized that Cloud was quiet, his body relaxed in her loose embrace. _Did it work? Even just a little? _However, the mumbling started up again at almost the moment she had the thought. _Damn. Might as well try the Restore._ Repeating the process with the second materia and remembering to shield Cloud's eyes against the glare this time, she waited. When he remained silent after she'd counted to twenty, she slid her fingers into his. Her heart clenching, Tifa begged, "Please, Cloud... if you can hear me, squeeze my hand. Even just the _tiniest_ bit of pressure... _please_. Give me _something_ to believe in."

His head turned slightly, but his expression didn't change, and his hand remained slack in her grip as he began to babble. Tears ran down Tifa's cheeks, dripped off her jaw and formed dappled patterns in the bathwater.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Half an hour later, after drying off Cloud and dressing him in a pale blue gown before donning the set of matching scrubs, Tifa wheeled the mumbling man back to his room. An orderly appeared within moments, pushing a trolley carrying two food trays. "Today's end-of-the-world special - seafood casserole!" he cheerfully announced. "The kitchen's pulling out all the stops; before Meteor, it would have been fish fingers."

"Sounds good - thank you."

He gave her a friendly grin. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're the most polite SOLDIER I've ever met."

Tifa managed an answering smile. "So I've been told."

"It's greatly appreciated by us civilians," he winked. "Leave the trolley outside when you're done."

Uncovering one of the trays after the orderly left, Tifa sniffed the casserole before taking a cautious bite. "Wow – that's _really_ good! I wonder if I could get the recipe?" Pressing a spoonful against Cloud's lips, Tifa wiped the corners of his mouth while watching carefully as he chewed and successfully swallowed without choking. "Guess I'll be dealing with what comes out the other end, too," she muttered, taking a bite herself before feeding him another. "Better me than a stranger wiping your butt, I suppose."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

After a trip to the bathroom that Cloud hopefully wouldn't remember and Tifa preferred to forget, she put him to bed, then dropped into his wheelchair and rubbed her hand over her face. _This... is too cruel._

"Looks like you could use a shot of this."

She stared blankly at a stemmed glass half-filled with rich amber-hued liquid, and accepted it. "What is it?"

"Premium twenty-five-year-old cognac. I was saving it for a special occasion, but I guess the end of the world will have to do." Clinking his glass with hers and setting down the bottle on the floor between them, Lassiter pulled up a chair and straddled it.

Tifa raised her glass in salute and sipped. The liquor burned smoothly over her palate; she nodded in appreciation. "Very nice. I'm honoured."

He nodded and they drank in silence for a while, contemplating the expansive sea view out of the window. On this angle, Meteor was invisible, but its light suffused the whitecaps with an orange glow. After a time, Lassiter said, "How long have you known Cloud Strife?"

"Ever since we were kids."

"But you don't know his father's name?"

"He died when Commander Strife was very young," she stiffly replied.

"Is his mother still alive?"

"She passed away five years ago."

"How very unfortunate." Withdrawing a folded piece of paper from his pocket, he perused it before asking, "Tell me – do you recall any incidents from your childhood when Mr. Strife should've been badly injured but only received the equivalent of a scratch?"

"Yes. Both of us fell from a bridge; I was in a coma for a week but he only suffered cuts on his knees."

"How about in his career in SOLDIER?"

_Cait Sith said communications with the mainland have been out for several days, so Lassiter won't be able to check with ShinRa._ "He took General Sephiroth's sword through his chest before throwing him into the core of the Mount Nibel reactor five years ago."

"How can a dead man summon Meteor?" Lassiter demanded.

"The casket at his state funeral was empty."

"You've seen him." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes. Fought him several times since he killed President Shinra." _Well, it was actually Jenova mimicking Sephiroth's form, but we'll go with the easier concept._

Lassiter nodded. "So _that's_ how the old man really met his end. I never really bought the official 'sudden heart attack' story."

"It _was_ a heart attack, after a fashion – caused by the Masamune."

"How do you know this?"

"I saw the body."

"ShinRa's still playing its cards very close to its chest, I see." Waving his drink at the shadowy corner where honed steel glinted, he asked, "What do you know about that weapon?"

Carefully sifting through the possible answers, Tifa replied, "It's called the Buster Sword. It once belonged to General Angeal Hewley, and upon his death, was given to his successor Zack Fair, who in turn gave it to Commander Strife."

Lassiter slowly nodded. "I thought it looked familiar. Does Mr. Strife realize that he's using a family heirloom?"

"The sword means a great deal to him."

"No... I mean, it's _literally_ his family heirloom."

"I... what?"

"It's a long story that requires a full glass." Topping up Tifa's drink, Lassiter turned his chair around and sprawled in it, propping his feet up on the spare bed. They listened to Cloud's muttering for a little while before he continued, "This is classified information, but I think Meteor makes that restriction somewhat irrelevant. Thirty years ago, this clinic was the headquarters of the secret ShinRa initiative known as 'Project G' – the race to produce the ultimate soldier. Project G was headed up by Dr. Hollander, while a competing branch, Project S, was led by Dr. Hojo."

Tifa hastily crossed her fingers behind her back as she said, "Er, since we've been pursuing Sephiroth, I've become familiar with the history of Project S... but what's Project G?"

"Project G attempted to create a human-Jenova hybrid by injecting female volunteers with Jenova cells. The idea was that the alien genetic material would combine with their DNA and be passed onto their children. Gillian Ruttan was Project G's first test subject and gave birth via artificial insemination to Genesis Rhapsodos. Unlike Sephiroth, who was taken from his mother and raised by scientists in an experimental trial, Genesis was raised by his birth father's family. Shortly afterwards, Miss Ruttan married David Hewley and agreed to go through with a second pregnancy on the condition that her husband fathered the baby and that she could keep it."

Tifa's stomach wound itself into a knot. "What does this have to do with Commander Strife?"

"His father, Dr. Lowell Strife, was my colleague in Project G; his mother was Liza Ruttan, the youngest sister of Gillian Hewley."

"Commander Strife once mentioned that one of his aunts married a Hewley..." Tifa rasped, stunned.

Lassiter gestured at his patient. "Mr. Strife is Angeal Hewley's first cousin."

"I understand the familial connection," Tifa said slowly, feeling rather dazed. "But, I have the feeling there's something more going on here."

"Gillian's two sons were recruited by ShinRa when Genesis was ten – the same age as Sephiroth - and Angeal was only nine. The three of them wildly exceeded all expectations, but ShinRa was in a hurry to consolidate its power. When Dr. Hojo discovered that injecting healthy adults with a mixture of mako and Jenova cells produced similar results in terms of enhanced strength and speed on a much shorter timeframe and in greater numbers, ShinRa began focussing its resources on the new SOLDIER program."

"That must have been hard for you."

"Professional rivalry does not accept defeat lying down; encouraged by Dr. Hollander, Dr. Strife and myself wondered if a combination of techniques might yield even better results." Lassiter gestured at the bed-ridden man. "Cloud Strife has the unique distinction of being the final product of Project G."

"What… did you do to him?" Tifa quavered.

Lassiter apparently didn't notice her trepidation. "Both Project S and Project G had involved introducing large doses of Jenova cells into the test subjects; we decided to use smaller amounts to see if the cumulative effect was the same. Dr. Strife convinced his wife to undergo the same DNA-altering treatment as her elder sister, and when Liza eventually became pregnant, the foetus was injected with a tiny amount of Jenova cells early in the first trimester. We then waited for nature to take its course."

Recalling Vincent's description of Lucretia's pre-natal agony, Tifa asked, "Was Mrs. Strife all right?"

"Positively _blooming_ throughout all nine months. When her son was born – in the maternity ward of this clinic - he exceeded all of the newborn health markers and thrived at an amazing rate. We felt vindicated."

"Was he treated like Sephiroth? Like a lab experiment?"

He appeared shocked and rapidly shook his head. "Lowell epitomized the 'proud papa'; his son was the apple of his eye." Chuckling wryly, Lassiter added, "You must've known Liza Strife?"

"They were our next-door neighbours in Nibelheim," Tifa admitted. "When my mother died, she looked after me, too."

"Then I'm sure you know that she could be quite formidable where her son was concerned," Lassiter said fondly. "The only things she permitted were regular blood tests to check on the levels of Jenova cells in Cloud's body. I used those old records to confirm that Commander Strife was indeed the child I once knew… although, I didn't really need them. His resemblance to his mother is unmistakeable. Two of his aunts and their families continue to live in New Banora, by the way." Indescribable relief swept through Tifa; she couldn't prevent herself from slumping slightly as Lassiter obliviously continued, "When Cloud was two years old, ShinRa abruptly transferred Dr. Strife to Dr. Hojo's lab in Nibelheim. Lowell must have passed away shortly after the move; I was unaware of his death until you told me."

"Didn't you try to contact him?"

"There was no love lost between Dr. Hojo and Dr. Hollander; I guessed that Lowell had to keep his head down in order to keep his job."

"I'm _really_ surprised that ShinRa never informed you," Tifa muttered.

"ShinRa isn't very good at a number of things," Lassiter agreed, and topped up Tifa's glass again, along with his own.

"Including telling the truth about Sephiroth."

The doctor regarded her over the rim of his glass. "So, the most famous SOLDIER of all time _wasn't_ killed in a terrorist action and has returned from the dead – with no love lost for the company that created him."

"He's behind a barrier in the Northern Crater, waiting for Meteor to hit the Planet so he can become a god-like being." In response to Lassiter's sceptical look, Tifa added, "He's batshit insane, obviously."

"So, in the end, all three of the original Project results have turned against ShinRa," Lassiter mused.

"What do you mean… all three?"

"Genesis and then his half-brother Angeal rebelled against ShinRa - and the only reason I know _that_ is because Genesis had his base beneath Old Banora, just up-island a short distance."

"I saw the crater."

"Angeal was a good kid, probably because of Gillian's influence while he was growing up; it must have been his loyalty to his half-brother that made him go rogue. Genesis was an arrogant little shit – just like his father. The eldest, and most alien out of the three is going further than the others and setting his sights on the entire Planet." Lassiter contemplated Cloud. "And the only person who combines the best aspects of both Projects, and thereby has the best chance of defeating Sephiroth, is out of his mind with mako poisoning."

"That about sums things up," Tifa agreed, rubbing her forehead.

"We're screwed," Lassiter said cheerfully. "Another round?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"You can sleep in the second bed; we're not exactly overrun with patients right now," the orderly offered. "Commander Strife often becomes really agitated at night, so you'll be doing us a favour by staying here."

"Agitated? How?" Tifa hoped that she didn't look as woozy as she felt. _That cognac was lovely, but best in small doses! _

"Screams bloody murder and thrashes around. We've had to restrain and sedate him a few times."

"Thanks for the warning."

After the orderly left, Tifa turned off the lights. Meteor's eerie glow allowed her to make her way to the bed beside Cloud without tripping over anything. Plopping down on the mattress with an audible hiccup, she simply watched him for a while before flopping onto her back and listening to the stream of babble. Snuggling into the bedding, her eyes closing of their own volition, Tifa was almost asleep when Cloud's voice rose to a shriek. She shot upright and off the bed, nearly fell over and barely managed to catch hold of the frame of his bed. His eyes were wide open, staring blindly at the ceiling, his hands frantically clutching at the bedding.

"Shhh, Cloud. It's all right – I'm here." Tifa stroked her fingers through his hair and the anguished volume instantly dropped. Making an impulsive decision, she raised the protective barrier on the far side of Cloud's bed and moved him over; there was a pause in his verbal torrent, but then the volume began rising again. Tifa squeezed onto Cloud's mattress and tucked him under her chin. Arranging the blanket over both of them, she began slowly smoothing her hand up and down his back. "It's okay – I've got you," she murmured.

The mumbling trailed off until silence reigned. When Cloud's body relaxed and his breathing evened out, Tifa relaxed, too, but then he nestled against her chest and sighed, "Zack… safe."

While Cloud peacefully slept, Tifa was kept awake by various scenarios that would've seen him snuggling with Zack Fair... and was frankly unnerved by all of them.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The next morning, Tifa managed to extract herself from the bed and make it to the toilet before the orderly arrived to check on them – but not before she finished flushing away her stomach contents.

"One hangover special, coming right up!" he chortled. "Dr. Lassiter passed out in his office last night, so you're in good company." Producing a small bottle of mouth wash out of his pocket, he handed it over. "I imagine you could put this to good use."

"Thanks," Tifa croaked. The orderly cackled some more on his way out of the room, but took pity on her and didn't slam the door. Stashing the mouth wash on the sink, she wobbled over to the spare bed, eased herself down and waited for the room to stop spinning. Cloud's jabbering seemed to go up a notch or two, but that may have been just because her hearing was more sensitive. _Better suck it up – he needs the bathroom and his breakfast. _

By necessity, everything proceeded very slowly, but an hour later Tifa had managed to get Cloud into and out of the bathroom and fed him. She was cautiously nibbling on some dry toast when Julia came in with an armload of clothing. "I had housekeeping wash your uniform," she said, unaccountably shy. After Tifa expressed her appreciation, she added, "It's a beautiful day today – you could wheel Mr. Strife out onto the terrace."

"I may do that. Thanks for the suggestion."

"Well, then, I'll see you later!" With that, Julia practically fled the room.

_What was __that__ all about? _ Tifa decided to risk the rice porridge, and when that stayed down, diluted the fruit juice with two glasses of water. Her stomach remained co-operative, and after another lie-down, she felt well enough to get dressed and go in search of painkillers for her pounding headache. "Back in a few minutes," she assured Cloud.

As she made her request at the nursing station, Tifa couldn't help but notice that Julia appeared more flustered with each passing second. "Are you all right, Miss Darrow?" she finally asked, concerned by the young woman's frayed demeanour.

"Um, yes! Here you are… _oh_!" The pills dropped from shaking hands, and in the scrabble to recapture them before they hit the floor, Tifa ended up clasping Julia's hand between both of hers. The young woman's cheeks flamed, but when Tifa let go, she hung on.

Tifa quirked an eyebrow. "Miss Darrow…?"

"Mr. Laurence, may I speak privately with you?" Completely baffled and extremely uncomfortable, Tifa warily nodded; Julia put on a very determined look and towed her through a side door onto an expansive stone terrace stepping down to the harbour. When they were what Tifa belated realized was a 'safe distance' from the building, Julia plunked down on the edge of one of the broad steps and indicated that Tifa should follow suit.

_Oh, crap. Apparently the 'man in uniform' effect has struck again._ Discreetly edging away from the young woman, Tifa looked for an escape route.

"This may seem very forward of me, Mr. Laurence, but do you have anyone waiting for you?"

"You mean… like family?" Tifa asked, nervously fiddling with her Bangle.

Julia's lip was in danger of being bloodied. "A girlfriend… or wife?" she blurted out.

"Oh, er…." Just in time, Tifa realized she possessed a gold-plated ticket out of the situation. "Yes, I do." Pulling off her glove, she showed Julia the two silk ribbons tied around her wrist.

Julia's expression fell a little, but she rallied enough to exclaim, "You wear her hair ribbons? That's _so_ sweet!"

Emboldened, Tifa tugged on the drooping pink silk. "This belonged to a woman who was like a sister to me, and _this_…." She smoothed the tattered scrap of blue. "This belongs to someone that I wish I could see again."

"Oh." Julia hugged her knees, looking so despondent that Tifa couldn't help awkwardly patting her arm. The young woman sighed, her blush deepening. "I was hoping that you were unattached…."

_Is this what that phrase 'opening a can of worms' feels like?_ "What about Thane?"

Julia ducked her head. "If Meteor isn't defeated, he won't make it home in time. I just… hoped that you would consent to… um, 'be him', even if it was just for a few minutes."

Blinking rapidly, Tifa absorbed this astonishing request before gathering her wits. "I could never replace him," she said kindly. "Just like you could never take the place of my girl… not even for a few seconds."

Sighing deeply, Julia seemed to wilt in front of Tifa's eyes. "I know," she whimpered. "It's just that… I'm _so_ scared, and I wish he were here to hold me tight and tell me everything will be fine."

Tifa's heart ached. _I know the feeling – I really do_. Sliding closer, she slipped her arm around Julia's shoulders and squeezed... then had an inspiration. Pulling the dog-tags over her head, Tifa dropped the chain around Julia's neck. "It might sound kinda lame, but maybe you can pretend that Thane gave these to you before he left as a keepsake."

"Like your ribbons," Julia murmured, turning the small pieces of metal over in her hands. She held them up to her face, squinting. "This is _amazing_ – you even have the same blood type as Thane!"

"Y-yeah," Tifa agreed, swallowing hard.

"Won't you get in trouble for 'losing' them?"

"I can always requisition a new set," she bluffed.

Julia flung her arms around Tifa and hugged, hard. "Thank you, Teo," Julia whispered into Tifa's chest. "I'll treasure them."

Tifa held her breath until Julia let go, then quickly stood and offered the young woman a hand up. "I believe I'll follow your suggestion to bring Commander Strife out here," she said, steering the conversation back to neutral ground.

Julia's smile was the tiniest bit watery as she tucked Thane's dog-tags into her blouse. "I'm sure he would enjoy the sea breeze, at the very least." As they reached the door, Julia slipped her fingers into Tifa's hand and squeezed. "Your kindness is much appreciated," she murmured, blushing deeply. "I hope that I have the chance to tell Thane about you."

Choking up, Tifa managed to return the gentle pressure, but nothing more; as soon as Julia released her, she fled to the safety of Cloud's room where she locked herself in the bathroom and ran cold water over her head until she stopped crying.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Okay, Cloud… ride's over," Tifa said with as much cheer as she could muster, crouching in front of the wheelchair to make sure the brakes were set. _He looks so much less helpless now that he's dressed properly. Glad I decided to wrestle him into his armour – but I wonder why he was carrying that Transform materia around with him? Kind of an odd 'good luck' charm._

"Zack."

As Tifa's head shot up, her eyes wide, Cloud mumbled, "My fault. _My_ fault you died. Sorry. _Sorry_." His expression was so tragic that it tore at Tifa's heartstrings, and then he resumed his rambling discourse as if the moment of clarity had never happened.

For the second time that morning, tears trickled down Tifa's cheeks. "I'm sure Zack forgives you," she said, gripping Cloud's hand. "He wanted you to live."

The dull thunder of airship engines caught her attention and she rose to her feet, shading her eyes against both the sunshine and Meteor's sullen glow. "They're back," she said to Cloud, waving at the _Highwind_. "Things must have gone well at Corel and Fort Condor." The airship circled once, then descended until it was hovering just above the lowest step of the terrace; she admired Cid's ship-handling skills. A rope ladder was tossed over the side and a red-clad Second Class slid down it with enviable aplomb.

Vincent loped towards them, goggles in place. He stooped to inspect Cloud before looking up at Tifa. "No change?"

"None. I tried both materia with no effect." Tifa found herself tearing up yet again.

"Barret wants you to rejoin us, in case we are unable to stop Meteor in time."

"Only if Cloud comes, too. I can't leave him!"

"Neither he, nor we, were suggesting that," Vincent said gently. "Give us a few minutes to determine the best way of bringing Cloud on board. Perhaps we can rig up a stretcher."

"I could put him over my shoulder…."

"Not the best method of conveyance, since we have an audience that seems impressed by our SOLDIER uniforms."

"True." She saluted as Vincent headed back to where the _Highwind_ bobbed gently and watched as he scaled the ladder. "Well, Cloud… looks like we're going back into the thick of it. I'll retrieve your sword and gauntlet."

Tifa hadn't taken two steps when the terrace began pitching wildly beneath her feet. Staggering, she caught hold of Cloud's wheelchair and wrapped her arms around both him and the chair as the tremors increased. Out in the harbour, the sea began boiling; a geyser of vivid green water shot upward, and as the _Highwind_ took off on a steep trajectory that undoubtedly sent loose equipment and personnel flying, a huge black monster erupted out of the centre of the fountain. _Is that a Weapon? Crap! _

Water pouring off its leathery wings and massive scaly body, the dragon-like Weapon circled the harbour and headed straight for the clinic as Tifa fought to keep her footing and hang onto Cloud. While the ground heaved, she had a quick glimpse of the _Highwind_ ramming the Weapon before the terrace began breaking up. A crevasse opened up right under the wheelchair and the entire slab of concrete and brick tilted crazily. "_Cloud!_" Losing her grip on him, Tifa screamed again as the slabs began breaking up and sliding into the harbour, sweeping them into a seething maelstrom of debris.

Taking a deep breath as she plunged deep into the churning green water, Tifa experienced a near-miss by a boat hull as she frantically looked around for Cloud. _He's strapped into the chair, and it'll pull him deeper!_ Pure luck had her glancing in the right direction when light from the surface glinted on the metal frame of the wheelchair, and ignoring her own need for oxygen or safety, Tifa dove after it. Aided by fortuitous currents that propelled her along and deflected the detritus of destruction, she was able to reach Cloud with surprising ease. _C'mon… I can do this!_

The roaring in her ears drowning out all other thought as her body protested the lack of air, Tifa struggled with the buckle trapping Cloud in the wheelchair. At the moment when it came apart in her hands, she lost her battle with time and reflexively inhaled; icy cold liquid rushed into her mouth and lungs. In a desperate final lunge as her vision went black, she seized hold of Cloud's limp hand while her mind screamed in visceral terror.

_I've failed him. Again._

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

_What's that screaming sound? I've heard it before… where, though? Wait… now I remember. In Cosmo Canyon - it's the sounds of the souls in the Lifestream. _

Opening her eyes to featureless darkness shot through with flickers of brilliant green, Tifa wondered if she was upright or upside down. _ Am I dead? _The flashes of green became brighter, seemed to open like rips in fabric, and then dozens of voices rushed at her, surrounded her, shrieking, berating, begging, taunting, blaming, seducing, reassuring, in an overwhelming barrage of emotion. Clapping her hands over her ears in an attempt to block out the sound and closing her eyes, Tifa curled in on herself. _I can't stand this! It feels like my brain is coming apart!_ _Cloud! Someone... help me! _

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Tifa came to a second time in a surreal landscape that featured stone-patterned columns and balls that could either be planets or materia... and a huge, spectral Cloud suspended overhead, writhing in apparent agony. _What the...?_ Scrambling to her feet, she bit her lip as she watched the apparition twist and hunch. _You're in so much pain. _ Inspecting her surroundings more closely, she noticed a gate that resembled the entrance to Nibelheim. _That's ominous._ Facing the gate, his back to her, a familiar blond-haired figure was seated on the other end of a path of round stepping stones leading from the circular platform she was standing on. She'd taken a half-step in his direction when a hunch led her to glance over her shoulder. _Oh, my... what does this mean?_ There were two more Clouds, all seated facing away from her, all appearing despondent.

"Is this... inside your dreams? Or your subconscious?" she said out loud, and started at the voice coming of her mouth. It wasn't the tenor she'd become used to; instead, she sounded like her old feminine self. _Then_ she noticed her chest, clad in a white tank top. _Where did __these__ come from? Have I changed back?_ Cautiously poking herself, Tifa was disappointed when her finger went right through the generous curves. _An illusion, like everything here. However... does this mean that Cloud still sees me as a woman? _

Again biting her lip, Tifa regarded the spectre and the three 'other' Clouds, as well as Nibelheim's gates. Rubbing one foot against the other, she considered the possible reasons why there were multiples of the man she loved until she came to the obvious conclusion. _His mind was truly fractured... the first time by the horrors he saw in Nibelheim, followed by immersion in those mako tubes – I only experienced the emotional onslaught of the Lifestream for a few seconds and my brain felt like it was __melting__ – and then when Zack died, he cracked completely, just like Nanaki suspected._ "Maybe... I can help put you back together? Is that what this is all about, Cloud?"

Another glance upward at the tormented spectre made up her mind. _I don't know what I'm doing, but I have to try._ After glancing around at the possible choices, she crossed the stepping stones towards the Cloud in front of the gates of Nibelheim. _This is where it all started, years ago._ As she approached, she noted the rusting truck permanently parked to the side. _They forgot to include that in the fake Nibelheim! But... this proves we're in Cloud's memories, because only he and I know that truck was there._

The first Cloud stood up, his head bowed; she took his hand and noted that while he had substance, if she squeezed too hard, she felt like she'd go right through him. "I guess I'll start. Five years ago, two members of SOLDIER came to Nibelheim to repair the reactor. Sephiroth and a young SOLDIER... plus two ShinRa troopers."

An apparition of Sephiroth and his command shimmered into existence; the other SOLDIER had spiky blond hair. The first Cloud tried to walk towards the apparition, but Tifa held him back. "That SOLDIER wasn't you," she said gently. "I was afraid to tell you the truth for so long, and then when I wanted to, Jenova wouldn't let me." The blond SOLDIER's appearance wavered, crumpled, vanished… then returned much taller and dark-haired, with the hilt of a familiar sword projecting above his shoulder. The first Cloud beside Tifa faltered, shaking his head. Sliding her arm around him, she continued, "The other SOLDIER was Zack Fair – your friend and mentor. You admired him very much, and he thought very highly of you. You were very close, almost like brothers."

Cloud's head bowed even further; Tifa squeezed him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw an apparition of herself, dressed in her favourite outfit from so many years ago. _I was so proud of that vest and corset – thought they made my breasts look bigger. Ah, the irony._ The Cloud beside her made an anguished noise when the young Tifa ran off; she hugged him again. "I was very disappointed that you weren't part of Sephiroth's escort. However, you _were_ in Nibelheim." The first Cloud went very still until she pointed at the shorter of the two helmeted troopers waiting behind Zack. "That's you, Cloud."

When Sephiroth's apparition gestured his troops forward, the first Cloud slipped free of Tifa's grip. As the spectres moved, he simply 'stepped into' the trooper and vanished along with the rest of the memory. The trooper remained behind; slowly removing his helmet, a familiar unruly thatch of blond spikes appeared above a pair of summer-sky blue eyes. Tifa smiled and caressed his cheek.

He closed his eyes. "I was so ashamed that I didn't make SOLDIER like I bragged I would… I begged Zack not to tell you who I was. Couldn't even protect you from that monster outside the reactor."

"But you protected the Planet when it mattered most – stopping Sephiroth from destroying the Planet five years ago. You've put yourself on the line for me so many times in the past few months; it doesn't matter what uniform you're wearing, Cloud – you'll always be _my_ hero," she said, leaning in to kiss him on the lips. He was blushing madly when she pulled back, and she suddenly realized that this Cloud was _very_ young. _Sixteen, maybe? Oh, my goodness!_ "Shall we continue?" she asked, turning a little pink as well. He nodded, smiling bashfully, and he accompanied her back across the stepping stones to the main platform. She hesitated between the other two Clouds, until what could only be the old water tower gained substance out of the haze. _More Nibelheim memories? _

The second Cloud stood up and turned to face her as she crossed the arched walkway, but he kept his head down, even as the first Cloud merged into him. Tifa again took his hand. When the 'sky' darkened, showing an infinity of stars, she instantly knew where they were in both of their memories. "The sky really _was_ gorgeous that night." Two small figures flickered before solidifying on the platform of the water tower, one a young girl dressed in pale blue and the other a teenage boy. They were seated on adjoining sides of the platform, studiously not looking at each other, each finding their footwear intensely interesting. Tifa smiled fondly as the teen Cloud swung his feet and peeked in Tifa's direction. "You were so cute. I really, really wanted to reach over and tug on your ponytail to break the tension, but I was too nervous."

The youths and the water tower vanished, and she turned to the second Cloud. "You said you wanted to impress me by joining SOLDIER, but was there another reason, too?"

"I figured that your dad wouldn't dare tell a SOLDIER that he couldn't speak to his daughter."

"I had no idea," Tifa murmured, ashamed. "I'm sorry, Cloud. I can't believe that I was so clueless about your feelings."

"It wasn't your fault - you were going through a really tough time," said a new, higher-pitched voice, and an even younger version of Cloud jumped down from one of the columns.

_He looks about eight or nine._ "But still… I should've been more aware."

"I have a memory I want to share – do you want to see it?"

"Of course." Steeling herself, Tifa followed the child across the platform to the third Cloud, who stood up.

"These are my most precious memories," he said haltingly. "The ones hidden deep in my heart."

A lump in her throat prevented Tifa from replying before the child beckoned her over to a brick wall pierced by an open window, framed with shutters. "Does this look familiar?"

"It's my bedroom window. It was right across from yours, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I used to listen to you playing with your three friends, and wishing that I could be there, too."

Tifa watched herself as a young child, giggling and playing games with her three best friends. Moved, she crouched and put her arms around the pint-sized version of Cloud. "I wish I'd known."

He shrugged. "I thought they were stupid and childish, anyways."

"We were _children_, Cloud," Tifa pointed out. "That's what kids do."

"I know… _I _was the stupid one. I really wanted to be part of the group, but I didn't know how to ask. So I hung around on the edges, hoping to be included, and then when it didn't happen, I started to think that I was different than the rest of the kids – superior to them."

"So the rejection didn't hurt," she murmured softly, giving him another hug.

A dark shadow separated itself from the third adult Cloud, who was standing silently nearby, as the child sadly said, "Even back then, I was so messed up – so pathetic and weak."

Before Tifa could protest, the dark Cloud spoke. "The night I asked you to meet me at the water tower… you took so long, I was sure you wouldn't come because you hated me."

"Oh, Cloud – you _know_ why I was late. It took me a while to sneak out of the house; you know what my dad was like where you were concerned." Addressing the child, because the shadow was somewhat unnerving, she continued, "I told you that I started watching the newspaper after you left, hoping for some news of you. I _really_ wanted to see you again."

"You didn't hate me because I failed to protect you?"

"Protect me, back when we were kids?" she asked, deeply puzzled. "From what?"

The child's eyes were impossibly sad. "After your mom died. When you fell."

"When I tried to find her by climbing Mount Nibel," Tifa whispered, old emotion thickening her voice coupled with amazement that Cloud had taken on personal responsibility for _her_ decision that long-ago day.

"I couldn't stop you from falling, from being hurt… I was so angry with myself, and I thought you blamed me…."

"_Absolutely not_," she said fiercely, hugging the child close, willing the adult to let go of the guilt. "You were _so_ helpful to me afterwards – both you and your mom. Your kindnesses helped me to heal from the worst day of my life. She gave me a shoulder to cry on and a hug whenever I needed it, and you… you were always there. I didn't forget you, exactly, but life moved on and I guess it seemed like I did."

"That's why I wanted to be like Sephiroth – a hero who was strong enough, who never failed – who was memorable," said the shadow Cloud.

The child Cloud wriggled in Tifa's grip until she let him go. "I only ever wanted to protect you," he said. "Ever since I was a little kid, you were the one for me."

"I'm so, _so_ sorry, Cloud," Tifa whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm _sorry_ that you felt like you were invisible to me."

"You had a lot on your mind," the child said kindly, then gave her a sloppy, little-boy kiss on the cheek before he skipped up the stairs; Tifa had time to give his ponytail a light tug before he was out of reach. He threw her a shy grin over his shoulder as he merged with the second Cloud. Standing up, Tifa wiped her eyes and regarded the two remaining Clouds before glancing up at the spectral version, who was no longer writhing, but who sat hugging himself.

The shadow spoke, his words halting. "We need to go back to Nibelheim, Tifa – so we both know exactly what happened inside of the reactor." She nodded, and the shadow disappeared inside the third Cloud, who led the way up the stairs. As he reached the top, the second Cloud also merged with him, leaving only one to escort Tifa back across the stepping stones to the illusory gateway.

Once they crossed the threshold, the setting changed; Tifa let out a small shriek and covered her mouth with her hands as she saw herself tumbling down the metal staircase to land in a crumpled heap on the landing. _These are __my__ memories! _Sephiroth turned and disappeared through a door at the top of the stairs as the dark-haired SOLDIER arrived on the scene. He crouched over Tifa and gently shook her shoulder.

"Tifa! _Tifa!_"

"Zack…?"

"You were hurt by Sephiroth, right?"

Instead of directly answering, the wounded girl whispered, "You came here just to fix the reactor – that's all it was supposed to be. How did it turn out like this?"

Tifa's heart broke a little for Zack when she heard her younger self whimper, "I hate ShinRa… SOLDIERs… and _you_. I hate you all!"

Zack bowed his head. "I won't ask you to forgive me, Tifa." Rising to his feet, he said heavily, "Please… allow me to atone for my sins." Climbing the staircase, he released the Buster Sword. Planting his feet, the blade suddenly blazing with blue energy, he unleashed a Blade Beam that tore open the door to the reactor chamber; he disappeared into the cloud of dust.

"Zack ordered me to help Master Zangan while he went after Sephiroth," the Cloud beside Tifa said. "I got the old man to safety and took off for the reactor, where I found your dead father outside and you inside – all bruised and bloody. I could hear the sounds of battle inside the reactor, and suddenly, Zack came flying out of the doorway and slammed into one of the pods. I - I heard his bones smash."

"Cloud…."

As a helmeted figure arrived on the scene, Cloud continued narrating. "I kinda lost it. My best friend, my best girl, my mother, my home – I'd admired him, wanted to _be_ him - I barely remember coming across the Buster Sword embedded in the floor just inside the door of the reactor, but I _do_ remember ramming it right through Sephiroth's guts as he was making crazy talk to Jenova's corpse. He was calling it 'Mother' and telling it 'Everything's all right now'." Flexing his hands, Cloud said grimly, "He called me a bastard."

The trooper backed away from the bloodied Sephiroth, then turned and raced back out of the reactor, throwing aside his helmet as he ran. Reaching the wounded girl, he carefully picked her up and carried her to the side. Settling her against one of the pods, he gently stroked her hair away from her face; Tifa was treated to a first-person perspective view of her bruises, watched her eyes open and heard her wispy voice.

"Cloud… you're finally here. You kept your promise."

"Sorry for being late."

"Don't worry about it, Cloud," teenage Tifa smiled through her pain. "You came for me... that's all that matters."

A clanking noise drew Cloud's attention away; Sephiroth teetered at the top of the stairs, clutching a straggling hank of silver hair in one hand. A gruesomely shrivelled head swung below. "A bastard like you…" he hissed.

"Cloud – finish him off. You're the only one that can," Zack brokenly rasped, and Tifa winced at the amount of blood leaking from his body.

"The likes of you…" Sephiroth said again, "will never understand. It is my _destiny_…." Retrieving the Buster Sword, Cloud braced his feet and swung the blade into a familiar ready position, then charged up the stairs. "Do you think it will be that easy?" Sephiroth growled, using Cloud's momentum and the superior length of the Masamune against him to skewer the youth even as the Buster Sword again pierced his body. Cloud's scream filling her ears, Tifa took a step forward, but was restrained by the Cloud standing beside her as Sephiroth threw the injured youth back into the reactor chamber.

"Did you think a mere human could defeat the chosen one?" The Masamune again drove into Cloud's body; he was hoisted up into the air and held over the edge of the platform. "Know your place, weakling."

"My dear ones… my home… how _dare_ you!" Trembling hands reached, seized hold of the gleaming blade protruding from his chest. "I'll _never_ forgive you!" With a wild yell, Cloud yanked the Masamune even deeper through his body, his boots scrabbling until he gained purchase on the platform, then used the sword like a lever to fling Sephiroth against the wall before collapsing to his knees.

The former general was stunned. "This is _impossible_… _what_ are you?" Cloud made no reply, then lifted his head and bared his teeth. As he crawled towards Sephiroth, the Masamune's hilt tapping on the metal decking with every movement, the other man saw something in Cloud's face that made him recoil fearfully - and then smirk triumphantly.

Scooting out of Cloud's reach, Sephrioth cradled the repulsive head close to his chest. "Mother, come with me to the Promised Land," he crooned, rolling over the edge of the platform just as Cloud lunged.

Watching his rival disappear into the mako glow far below, Cloud snarled, "Sephiroth…." before keeling over, the sword still piercing him.

"And that's when the nightmare _really_ began," the Cloud holding onto Tifa's arm said grimly.

The scene inside the reactor vanished, replaced by fast-moving images, all tinted an eerie green. A figure Tifa instantly recognized as Dr. Hojo as he leaned over Cloud's stretcher, adjusting his glasses and gloating over his 'new sample'. Glimpses of the bustling lab in the ShinRa Mansion's basement, seen from inside the giant tube. Several scenes that made her flinch, featuring scalpels and syringes and restraints. A crack lancing across the curved glass wall, then the sound of liquid escaping. Zack's voice.

"Gotta get you outta those mako-soaked clothes – not good for anybody." A few moments later, "Here ya go, Cloud. You are hereby promoted to SOLDIER, First Class."

Blurred images, of a motorcycle with a sidecar, innumerable campfires, a petite, chestnut-haired woman dressed like a Turk, a tall, red-coated figure wielding a sword made of fire, a spiral of black feathers – days of endless movement, nights of restless fear – marked by Zack's running commentary. Tifa heard so many references to Aerith that she lost count.

The images continued spinning past, showing Zack fighting his way through a squad of badly out-matched troopers. Another motorcycle, the cool night wind rushing past, a long trip through a dank tunnel, then a lurching ride in the open back of an ancient truck, sunshine warming face and arms.

"So, what're we going to do when we reach Midgar?" Zack asked, comfortably propped in the corner of the truck's box behind the driver. "Hey, gramps – you got any suggestions for employment in the city?" To Cloud he muttered, "Don't want to mooch off of Aerith, if I can help it."

"Young buck like you? You should try out a few things before you decide on one."

"That's not really helpful, eh, Cloud?" A few moments later, he slapped his knee. "I've got it! We have some pretty unique skills – we'll become mercenaries, doing all the troublesome or dangerous jobs… so long as the money is good!" Stretching his legs, Zack grinned cheerfully. "We'll be rich, old friend!" Pulling himself upright, he leaned on the truck's roof and engaged in cheerful banter with the driver for a few moments before abruptly flinging himself on Cloud, shouting, "Gramps! Let us off behind those rocks and _floor_ it! C'mon, Cloud – ride's over!"

A flurry of violent movement, then Cloud was arranged in a sitting position, his back against sun-warmed stone. A gloved hand playfully tousled his hair, and then Zack turned and strode away. Tifa choked up as the image showed Cloud reaching after the departing man; an arm slid around her shoulders. She was glad of the support when the next series of images scrolled past.

Muddy earth, tinted and streaked with red, littered with debris – discarded helmets, swords, rifles, limp bundles of fabric and flesh – as Cloud determinedly crawled across the ground towards a still figure. Reaching Zack's side, he shuffled onto his knees, and Tifa let out a horrified sound as the full extent of the man's wounds became apparent.

The Cloud beside Tifa said proudly and with a touch of awe, "Took an entire army to take him down. Zack was _amazing_."

A wavering hand stretched, caught hold of the back of Cloud's head and pulled him down. Pressing Cloud's face against his bloodied chest, Zack murmured, "You are my living legacy – the proof that I existed." Releasing the now red-streaked man, he then exerted his last strength to raise the Buster Sword and offer it, hilt-first, to Cloud. "My honour and my dreams… they're yours now."

Taking hold of the weapon, Cloud hesitantly repeated, "I am… your living legacy." Frowning a little in concentration, as if he'd forgotten how to speak, he added, "I won't forget… Zack. Thank you."

Zack smiled and closed his eyes; Cloud watched him for several long moments, emotions scudding across his face… then tilted back his head and _screamed_.

"That's when my mind – and my world – shattered," Cloud murmured; she turned and buried her face in his shoulder, hugging him tightly. He seemed reluctant to accept her embrace, but she didn't let go, not until he returned it. "I dragged myself and the sword the rest of the way into Midgar; I lived in and around Sector Four for about three months. Sold the gilded decorations off the sword to feed myself, and did odd jobs until I had enough to pay a guy to turn one pauldron into my gauntlet and modify the remaining one. Then I met you at the train station." After several more minutes, Cloud whispered in her ear, "Thank you, Tifa. I hope… we'll still be friends when we see each other again."

"What are you talking about?" she frantically demanded.

He smiled crookedly and slipped free; before she could latch onto him again, he was engulfed by the spectral Cloud. The oversized image wavered and shrank until it disappeared inside his chest; as his eyes rolled back and he fainted, _all_ the illusions were swept away, leaving them floating in a featureless, brilliant green liquid.

"_Cloud!_" Making a desperate grab, Tifa missed as he drifted just out of range.

"Don't sweat it – I've got him."

"Z-Zack?"

"Have we met?"

Staring open-mouthed at the very jaunty, very deceased SOLDIER holding the unconscious Cloud by his harness, Tifa was completely taken by surprise when a familiar voice lilted in her ear, "My goodness – are you still stuck like that? Let's see if we can't do something about it."

"_Aerith!_" Turning around so fast she nearly up-ended herself, Tifa gaped at the laughing mage before flinging her arms around Aerith and half-crushing her in a bear hug.

"Hey!" Zack growled. "What do you think you're doing, buddy?"

"Oh, don't be _silly_," Aerith said, tossing her curls at him. "It's _Tifa_."

He arched a dark eyebrow. "You look… a little different from the last time I saw you."

"It was my fault," Aerith cheerily declared. "A spell went sideways."

Shaking his head, Zack grinned. "Why do I find _that_ easy to believe?"

"Hush, you – or I'll make you spend some time with grumpy old President Shinra again." While Zack pretended to be terrified, Aerith examined the materia in Tifa's Bangle. "Good choice to bring with you," she said, tapping the Restore.

"Can you… change me back?"

Smiling, Aerith gestured at the green surrounding them; Tifa noted that it was the same brilliant shade as her eyes. "I have the power of the entire Lifestream at my disposal. Easy-peasy." Plucking the materia out of the Bangle, she equipped it merely by holding it between her palms; when it shone like a star, she pressed it against Tifa's chest and cast the spell.

"Well, now – that's _much_ better," Zack drawled when the light had receded. "_Nice_ sweater."

Returning the materia to a bemused Tifa, who was highly aware of her now too-large gloves and boots filling with liquid, Aerith swished over to Cloud and began riffling his pockets. Producing the troublesome Transform materia, after a cursory examination she exclaimed, "I really did alter the magic within it!"

"Isn't she talented?" Zack fondly commented to Tifa, who was trying to tighten at least one of her belts so her trousers didn't fall off.

She ducked her head, then met his amused gaze. "I'm really, _really_ sorry, Zack."

"For what?" he asked, puzzled.

"When I told you… I hated you."

Zack looked abashed. "Don't worry about it, Tifa. After everything that happened that day, I understood _exactly_ where you were coming from. I'm sorry about your dad."

Briefly making the Transform materia sparkle like a tinselled ornament, Aerith poked it back into Cloud's pocket. "That should reset it to normal – but don't test it on someone you like!" Returning to Tifa, Aerith clasped the other woman's hands between her own. "Remember the White Materia I showed you and Nanaki? My prayer summoned Holy, the Planet's ultimate defensive magic… but Sephiroth is blocking it."

"He's strong enough to thwart the Planet's will?" Tifa asked, appalled.

"The darkness in his soul is frightening." Aerith shivered and Zack sobered. "Tifa, Sephiroth has to be removed for Holy to work – but if Meteor gets too close beforehand, all bets are off."

"The Planet could be destroyed anyways?"

"Yes."

Tifa bit her lip, then nodded firmly. "We'll do our best."

"We'll do everything we can to support you from here," Aerith said, squeezing Tifa's fingers. "No giving up!"

As Aerith let go, Tifa hugged her again. "I'm _so_ happy to see you… and you found _him_ again…" she choked out.

"He was waiting for me; his love was stronger than the Lifestream," Aerith whispered, her eyes shining.

Zack was smirking as he handed the unconscious Cloud over to Tifa, but then became serious. "When he wakes up, make sure you tell this guy that I _don't_ blame him for what happened. If our situations had been reversed, I know he would've done the same for me. I'm _glad_ that he survived, and was able to find his way back to you, because then my death meant something."

As the couple faded from sight and the green rushed in, Tifa held Cloud close, almost giddy with relief for several reasons.

_We have a chance! _

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	18. Confessions

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after being reminded that yes, they _do_ have motion sickness.

**A/N:**Cheerfully twisting aspects of _Crisis Core_'s story to better fit with my ebil plans.

The SOLDIER ranks chosen for the team were based on Imperial Japanese Army rankings.

**Warnings:**Nudity, coarse language, dialogue reassignment, violence, canon and Item abuse.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Eighteen: Confessions**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

I woke up to liquid pattering my face, and for a very bad moment, thought I was back on that bluff overlooking Midgar. However, my mind was surprisingly clear; I had to think about that for a while. For the first time in months – no, _years_ – there was only blessed silence.

Was I finally alone in my head?

Shiva, I _hoped_ so.

Eventually, a dull, rhythmic roar made itself heard over my inner contemplation. I listened to the soothing sound for a while, but it wasn't until a salty droplet landed on my lips that I realized where I was. Propping myself up on my elbows, I looked around. Gleaming wet sand and glistening black rocks framed a view of frothing peach-coloured surf, and beyond, restless, shifting orange sea.

Wait… _what_?

Pushing myself up to sitting, I looked around and instantly saw the source of the strange colouration – a huge, black object hanging menacingly in the western sky, surrounded by a fiery sunset-hued corona.

_Meteor._

The symbol of my ultimate failure.

I watched the pale-rimmed tide run under the soles of my boots for a while, and was in the act of unzipping one to dump the water out of it when I belatedly realized that I was missing someone. Leaping to my feet, I nearly fell over myself when the world tilted and I had to grab onto a stony outcropping for balance.

"Tifa? _Tifa!_"

There was no reply except the muted thunder of the waves.

Stumbling between the spray-drenched rocks, I frantically searched for the woman who had followed me to the edge of death. Making desperate promises to every god and goddess I could think of as I scrambled over boulders and splashed through tidal pools, I finally spotted her floating face-down in the shallows fifty feet away.

Dear gods, not Tifa, _not _Tifa, _not__Tifa_, please_please_please...!

As I charged across the beach, I noticed small details with startling clarity. Her long hair resembled dark seaweed, twining with the ivory foam clinging to her sweater and trailing across her pale arms. Both of her gloves were missing and her harness hung off her shoulders. The dragging pauldrons were probably the reason why she hadn't washed up higher on the beach. Sloshing into the water, I caught hold of her arms and dragged her limp body further up onto the sand, then turned her over.

Tifa's long eyelashes fanned wetly across her cheeks; her lips were parted as if she breathed, but her chest was still. Tearing off my glove, I pressed my fingers to her throat and nearly felt ill with relief when her pulse fluttered weakly. Tipping her head back, I pinched Tifa's nose and tried breathing for her – that medic training during boot camp finally came in handy – but her mouth was full of water. Propping her onto her side, I gently pressed on her abdomen, causing a flood of shimmering green liquid to pour out of her lips. Spotting the materia winking in her Bangle and barely waiting for it to equip, I cast Cure repeatedly until Tifa started coughing, violently expelling more of the Lifestream-saturated water. While she shuddered, I rubbed her back and thanked all those celestial beings for giving her back to me.

Sweet Shiva, she was _alive_. Nothing else mattered.

I noted a number of small 'dirtballs' decorating the sand after her coughing jag and really hoped that the Lifestream had flushed out the last vestiges of Sector Seven from her lungs, assuming Barret was right about their source. Tifa finally quieted, her breathing harsh; I cast Cure again, then started pulling wayward strands of hair away from her face. She rolled onto her back and slowly opened her beautiful eyes. My heart promptly lodged in my throat.

What if she despised me, now that she knew the truth?

"Cloud," she whispered, smiling. "Are you... all right?"

I nodded stiffly, wanting to kiss her very badly, but not sure if she wanted that. Hell, I wasn't sure if she wanted _me_.

Tifa disproved that fear by wobbling upright, freeing her arms from the too-loose harness straps and crawling into my lap. Sliding her arms around me, she nestled close and sighed, "I'm so _glad_."

Slowly wrapping my arms around her, my heart thumping irregularly, I exhaled and cautiously gathered her closer; Tifa hugged me tightly while making soft little humming noises that I dared interpret as happiness. I told the rest of my fears to take a hike for a while and just concentrated on holding and being held by her because we were both damn lucky to have made it out alive, considering everything that had happened. My eyes prickled; I hid my face in her wet hair and curled around her, not wanting to let her go, _ever_.

Tifa appeared to feel the same way, judging by the fierceness of her embrace, but I was suddenly struck by her fragility. She can kick the shit out of a beast the size of a two-story building, but this had nothing to do with her physical strength. Her slender body, its every breath reminding me how easily her life could be ended – all of her was so _vulnerable_.

Could I keep her safe? Could I keep my promise?

Tifa derailed my panic by stroking her fingertips across my cheek, her thumb brushing over my lips. I loosened my desperate grip just enough to peer down at her, saw her soft smile... and her dampened cheeks that had nothing to do with seawater. "I was so afraid that I'd lost you," she whispered tremulously, and then her eyelashes fluttered closed as she gently tugged me down for a kiss that was both strange and _wonderful_ at the same time.

Strange because it was as tentative and hopeful as a First Kiss – which in a way, it kinda was. It was the first time I had kissed her as _myself_, not as... that cocky SOLDIER I was trying to be, and I suddenly felt as nervous as a teenager. Then her tongue sweetly requested entrance to my mouth, and the kiss became considerably less innocent and a whole lot _hotter_. Tangling great handfuls of her hair, I held her snugly against my body. Tifa made eager little sounds, pressing closer with equal enthusiasm, shivering when I explored her mouth. I was trembling, too, overwhelmed completely by the intense sensations of heat and wet, as well as her apparent acceptance.

Then we lost our balance and fell over backwards onto the sand; Tifa started giggling and pushed up. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling, and she was so _beautiful_ that my breath caught. I pulled her back down and kissed her again; she squirmed in a very distracting manner and I quickly rolled us onto our sides... right on top of one of her discarded pauldrons. Of course, it was pointy-edges up.

"_Ow!_ Help me with this thing?"

I unbuckled the broad belt with its ShinRa logo from around her slim waist; Tifa no sooner freed herself of the harness than she pitched it. It clanged off the rocks somewhere over our heads, but we were too busy kissing to worry about where it landed. Well, Tifa was too busy; my damn brain wouldn't shut off.

Despite all the _very_ obvious indications, I had to know _for sure_ what she was thinking. Breaking a kiss that left both of us gasping, I tried to compose myself while smoothing her hair away from her face. "Do you, um… what do you, er… I lied to you," I blurted out. My ears felt like they were going to burst into flame. "I-I'm not who I said I was."

Tifa blinked in confusion. "You didn't officially make SOLDIER –so what?"

"Y-you're not mad?"

She huffed a little, then softly kissed me on the lips. "I knew right from the beginning, at the train station, that something was off; that's why I asked Barret to hire you – so I could keep an eye on you."

"It was that obvious?"

"You knew things you shouldn't, but didn't remember things you should." Tifa kissed me again and this time I responded; the caress went on long enough that she almost lost her train of thought. Almost. "It was Aerith who figured out that you were one of the troopers with Zack and Sephiroth. When we investigated the Mansion's basement, we found the laboratory where you'd been held – and paperwork describing some of the things they'd done to both of you."

"So _all_ of you knew? _Damn._" My stomach knotted; how was I going to face them?

"Not everyone. Just me, Aerith, Nanaki and Yuffie," she soothed. "If anything, I'm mad at _myself_ for not having the nerve to tell you what we knew earlier. Maybe I could've spared you some of the pain."

"At risk of your life," I replied. "Sephiroth hates me; I'm really surprised that he didn't try to make me kill you in that illusion, because that would've _completely_ finished me off."

"You're the only one who ever defeated him," Tifa said proudly.

"I was _furious_… he'd taken away everything that mattered to me and seemed to think he was justified. _Asshole._ I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face _so_ bad…."

Tifa abruptly sat up and started twisting her fingers together. "I need to tell you something, Cloud."

Pushing myself upright, I covered her restless hands with mine and carefully watched her face. _Shit_, it looked serious. I'd rather kiss her some more, but instead I said, "Go ahead."

"Last night, Dr. Lassiter told me the story of Project G…."

"Who?"

"He treated you at the ShinRa clinic in Mideel Town after the Lifestream spat you back out."

"Okay… what the hell's Project G?"

Tifa was clearly both excited and nervous about what she was going to say. "Cloud, there's a very good reason why you're the only one who can take down Sephiroth."

"And that is?"

She bit her lip. "Your father was a scientist with Project G, and your mom agreed to take part in the same experiment as your Aunt Gillian…."

"Auntie Gilly? What does _she_ have to do with anything?" I demanded roughly, the word 'experiment' _completely_ freaking me out.

Flustered, Tifa said, "Do you remember Genesis Rhapsodos and Angeal Hewley?"

"The two bigwigs in SOLDIER, along with Sephiroth?"

"Yes. They're your cousins." She nervously tittered at the expression on my face.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in an effort to calm myself. "Okay. Tell me the whole story… but take it slow, all right?"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"So I really _am_ a monster," I mumbled several minutes later.

Tifa slumped, then proceeded to lightly bang her head on my chest. "You haven't listened to _anything_ I've said," she complained.

"When you find out that you were created as an experiment, that kinda blocks out everything else."

"Only a _tiny_ part of your DNA came from elsewhere, Cloud; your mom and dad's love supplied _all_ the rest. You weren't an experiment or a monster to them… and you're not to me, either, or the rest of our friends." I still couldn't look her in the eye; she crumpled a little more, hiding behind her loose hair. "I wish I hadn't told you," she said mournfully.

"Why did you?"

"I promised myself that there wouldn't be any more secrets, that if I knew something that could affect you, I'd _tell_ you. Because I wanted you to see that you're _better_ than Sephiroth can ever hope to be – and that, more than any amount of alien cells, is the reason why you'll win."

"Better? _How?_"

She lifted her chin. "You're fighting for _all_ of us, for no other reason than it's the right thing to do. I believe in you, Cloud – now, more than _ever_. Zack was right; you _can_ take him."

I really didn't want to deal with what Tifa had told me, so I changed the subject. "After he busted us out of the lab, Zack looked after me like family – never complained, not once," I said quietly, staring out at the waves. Hunching my shoulders, I continued, "He fed me, bathed me, wiped my ass, and held me in his arms while he slept. I was a constant drain on his energy and a danger to his safety. It would've made far more sense for him to abandon me and escape on his own."

Tifa cupped my face between her palms. "You were his friend and his comrade – his personal sense of honour would _never_ have allowed him to leave you behind."

I closed my eyes. "He _died_ because of me. So did Aerith."

"While you were unconscious in the Lifestream, he and Aerith came for us," she said.

My jaw dropped. "Wh-what? Y-you _saw_ them?"

Her smile was soft. "How do you think I changed back?"

"I, er... oh. Really?"

"Zack wanted you to know that he doesn't blame you - not at all. He's glad you survived, and..." She trailed off, blushing again, her hands dropping to my chest.

"And... _what_?" I asked, fearing another bombshell.

Tifa's fingertips twisted into the sodden knit of my sweater, releasing distracting tickles of water down my stomach. "That you and I... um, that we're together."

That wasn't what I was expecting, but I needed time to think, so I slowly tipped forward until my forehead was resting on her shoulder. Her hands came up, one slipping around the nape of my neck, the other gently sifting through my damp hair.

"It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" she whispered. "You've been through so much… but you're not alone, Cloud. We're with you – _I'm_ with you, every step of the way."

I still couldn't believe that Tifa wanted to be with me. "Are you _sure_?" I whispered, watching her out of the corner of my eye.

"I promised to stay by your side," she replied, flushing a lovely shade of rose. "And I _meant_ it - for as long as you want me to be there."

My heart clenched as my dream girl shyly offered me everything I'd ever wanted. Around the huge lump in my throat, I somehow managed to rasp, "How does 'forever' sound?"

Despite being one of the corniest lines in the universe, Tifa didn't seem to mind; her warm smile loosened the tightness that had crept into my chest. "How soon can we start?" she huskily whispered.

"Gotta stop Sephiroth first."

"_That _can wait for a few more minutes," Tifa murmured, and then she kissed me – softly, wetly, deeply – and I lost myself again in her sweet welcome.

I didn't deserve her, but I was damn well going to try.

Several very intense moments later, Tifa took us back down onto the sand, not breaking the contact between our lips. She was moulding herself against me in a completely sensual way; it occurred to me that she was being _much_ more forward than she'd ever been before, and I couldn't help wondering why she suddenly felt brave. After a bit more reflection that wasn't _quite_ derailed by a damn hot kiss, I cautiously decided on a test.

Rolling her onto her back, I waited for her to react as I took control, but she didn't seem bothered at all by my weight settling over her. In fact, she hooked her leg around mine to keep me in place while her hands wandered over my body, apparently quite content with our intimate position. _I_ was the one who was taken aback. "You're okay with this?"

She blushed brightly enough to give Ifrit a run for his flames. "I _missed_ you," she murmured. "Now that you're yourself, and I'm back to normal... um…." If possible, she turned even redder.

I blushed, too. _Dammit_, turning scarlet seemed to be a new habit. "You were holding back before, because I wasn't myself?"

"I didn't want you to regret anything," she whispered.

Admiring the delicate curves of her lips, I considered everything that this amazing woman was offering me – _me_, the illusionary hero – and again thanked all those indulgent celestial beings. "No regrets – not where you're concerned," I answered. "_Never_."

Sprinkling her forehead and cheeks with tender kisses, I decided that if Tifa thought my being part of this 'Project G' was a good thing, then I should keep an open mind about it - but I was _definitely_ going to be paying this Dr. Lassiter a visit. Not just because he was the source of Tifa's information, but because he knew my parents.

He knew my _dad_.

Tifa's soft sigh brought me back to what I was supposed to be doing, which was showing my appreciation. She felt so damn _good_ in my arms, warm and yielding, making needy little sounds as we kissed, but before we could really get into it, the distinct rumble of heavy aircraft engines made itself heard over the waves and the pounding of our hearts.

"_Dammit!_" she groaned.

I blinked at her unusually-profane choice of words while identifying the interrupters and assessing the closest cover at the same time. "It's the _Highwind_."

Tifa sounded completely ticked off. "Couldn't it have taken them a _little_ while longer?"

"You _wanted_ ShinRa to find us?"

"What? Oh, right - Cid and Cait stole the _Highwind_ a few days ago from Junon. We're using it now instead of the Tiny Bronco."

Her pout was adorable; I kissed her again before assisting her upright. "Look at it this way – no more camping out."

"No _privacy_," Tifa grumbled, shaking sand out of her hair. While I retrieved my glove, she removed her too-large boots, then found the discarded harness and slung it over her shoulder. Squinting up at the airship, she exclaimed, "They've spotted us – there's Nanaki!" As the ship spun towards us, she slipped her hand into mine and squeezed; her whole-hearted support gave me confidence. A few seconds later, a rope ladder swung down from its main deck with Nanaki's furry visage peering through the railings. He was quickly joined by Vincent, Barret and Yuffie, the latter two grinning ear-to-ear.

"After you," I said; once Tifa began her climb, I followed her up. With every rung, my stomach fell further into my boots. I had about twenty feet to compose myself before meeting the rest of the team, but I doubted even ten times that distance would make any difference. Tifa immediately turned around once she gained the deck and gave me an encouraging smile as she helped me over the railing... and into a tumult of welcome. Yuffie hung off my neck, squealing joyfully in my ear and hugging for all she was worth; when she finally let go to pounce on Tifa, Barret scruffed my hair and punched me in the arm like I was his kid brother, while Vincent solemnly shook my hand.

Nanaki pressed up against my legs. "Welcome back, Cloud-san," he rumbled, his one eye twinkling. "We are glad that you and Tifa-san are safe and sound."

"Welcome aboard, boss," Cid called, Cait Sith echoing the greeting from his perch on the pilot's shoulder.

"Er... I don't know what to say..." I mumbled, running my hand through my hair for lack of something more decisive. These people had accepted me as their leader, followed my orders, believed in me - but I doubted they would all be as accepting as Tifa when they found out I was a fake.

"How about 'sorry for worrying all of you half to death'?" Yuffie suggested.

"Cloud-san does not need to apologize for _anything_," Nanaki said firmly.

"Yer leakin' fucking water all over my fucking deck!" Cid bellowed. "Come below! Get outta those wet clothes, an' we'll decide what t' do next."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The first bit of unpleasantness that I experienced had nothing to do with my friends. The motion sickness that had plagued me right from the first time I ever travelled in a military transport was back, and with a _vengeance_. I'd barely reached the bottom of the gangway when the forward surge of the ship, coupled with the oily reek from the open engine compartment on the deck below, hit me like a Blade Beam and the walls started closing in. One of the crewmen swung over a fire bucket in the nick of time; nothing came up, but that didn't stop my stomach from trying to turn itself inside out. I huddled against the bulkhead, my head in the bucket, feeling less than an inch tall. Tifa knelt and tucked herself around me, but then Yuffie saved the day.

"Give these a try." Dropping a Tranquilizer into my hand, she passed over a glass of water. "They take about ten minutes to kick in."

"Thanks," I croaked, then added, "I'm really, really, _really_ sorry for all the times I was an ass to you about this."

Frowning, Yuffie crouched in front of me. "Stop apologizing. You were an ass only _some_ of the time." I would've protested, but my stomach roiled warningly, so I shut up. Yuffie patted my shoulder, slipped Tifa a bottle of extra Tranquilizers and stood up. "When you're ready, hit the shower in the Crew's Quarters to get rid of the sand and salt water; your stuff is in the compartment marked 'C Watch'. I'll grab Cloud a spare uniform to wear until his kit dries." She flashed me a cheeky grin. "Hopefully 'air force blue' will improve the colour of your complexion, because you're kinda green right now!"

Several long minutes later, I finally felt well enough to try standing up; when I wobbled, Tifa was there to keep me upright. "What would I do without you?" I mumbled.

"Fall over?" she teased, guiding me across the landing and down another flight of metal stairs towards a door labelled 'Crew's Quarters'. The engines were incredibly noisy and stank of fuel; between my overly-sensitive hearing and my enhanced sense of smell, I was in _agony_. "In here – watch your step."

Once the bulkhead door closed behind us, the volume dropped dramatically and the stench became a faint footnote. "I was wondering how the crew could sleep when they're off-duty with that racket," I weakly commented, following Tifa down the narrow corridor past two sturdy-looking doors labelled 'A Watch' and 'B Watch'.

"Here we are," Tifa said, pulling open the third door while checking out three matching panels on the opposite side of the hallway. One was labelled 'Head', the second 'Shower' and the third 'Galley'. "I wonder if Cid's crew includes a cook? We ate only tea and biscuits on the way to Mideel."

"Probably storage for ration packs; mess-hall cooking isn't _anything_ like yours," I observed.

"_I'm_ not fighting Sephiroth fuelled only by dried vegetables and Cid's tea," Tifa grumbled. "I'll look into that later. First things first – this wet wool is rubbing me raw!"

Inside the compartment belonging to 'C Watch', I was dismayed and Tifa was enchanted by the sight of neatly-stowed hammocks lining one wall. Great; more things that had an inherent motion, and I was expected to _sleep_ in one?

"Hopefully your pack is still at the clinic," Tifa said, dropping her harness and boots on the deck. Retrieving her pack, she energetically rummaged through it, then paused. "Hopefully the _clinic_ is still there."

"Why wouldn't it be?" I asked, starting to sweat.

"We were out on the building's terrace when a Weapon attacked; the ground disintegrated under our feet and we ended up in the Lifestream."

Well, _shit_. If the Buster Sword was gone, what the hell would I use? I had other weapons that we'd picked up here and there, but _dammit_, Zack's sword should be the one to defeat Sephiroth. As for the _other_ person who wielded the Buster before him, I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that General Hewley was my cousin. I also preferred not to think about the cosmic issues associated with using his sword to kill his best friend; General Hewley's close relationship with General Sephiroth was well-known in the ranks.

Why didn't Mom tell me that General Hewley was my cousin when I was mooning over Sephiroth? That almost answered itself - she probably didn't want to give me any more fuel for joining the military, because she really wasn't happy about my decision in the first place.

Yuffie arrived at that moment with a pile of folded sky-blue fabric and a pair of buckled aviator boots. "Leave your wet stuff and I'll take care of it," she directed.

"How far did the Lifestream throw us?" Tifa asked.

"The northern tip of the middle island in the Mideel archipelago."

"Wow. Lucky you found us so quickly."

The teen propped her fist on her hip. "Whaddya mean, 'quickly'? It's been a day and a half since you went for a swim!"

"_Shit._ We have to move fast!" While Yuffie and I exchanged startled glances over Tifa's word choice, she added, "Ask everyone to meet in the Operations Room in fifteen minutes – I can't _believe_ I almost forgot!"

"Forgot _what_?" the teen asked.

"Tell you then." When Yuffie withdrew, Tifa collected her things and bustled me across the hall. Inside the shower room, there were two sinks and two separate shower enclosures… and as soon as I saw the latter, my stomach flipped over. Tifa had stashed her armload on a shelf next to one of the enclosures and was unbuckling her belts when she noticed my expression. "What's wrong?"

"I-I can't go in one of those," I rasped, trying not to flatten myself against the wall, or better yet, dive out the door.

A swathe of dark hair slid over her shoulder as she quizzically tilted her head, but not enough to distract me. "Why not?"

"_Look _at them!" I shrilly protested.

Obediently, Tifa turned to scan the innocent-looking glass doors of the shower enclosures. She rubbed one sock-clad foot against the other while she thought; I bet she was biting her lip, too. "They look like the tubes in the Mansion," she finally murmured. Pulling open the door of the left-hand shower, she inspected the space inside. "It'll be a snug fit, but it should work," she said briskly, then turned and held out her hand. "Come here."

I edged towards her, holding the uniform against my chest like a shield; Tifa pried the now-damp fabric out of my clammy hands and stashed it on the shelf next to her clothing. She then began removing my harness.

"Wh-what are you _doing_?" I squeaked.

"I'll come in with you," Tifa said matter-of-factly, dropping my pauldron and harness onto the floor as a hint.

"You sure about this?" Even as I said it, my gaze darted to the shower stall, and my throat closed.

Tifa saw my glance as her over-large trousers dropped around her ankles. "Of course."

Removing my gauntlet, boots and socks, I looked up as the water started running and was treated to a spectacular view of Tifa's ass as she leaned in to check the temperature and the sweater rode up a few inches. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to completely take my mind off actually going _inside_ the shower and ripples of panic began spreading.

Tifa obviously noted the direction of my thoughts and moved to head them off. "We'll be quick... and we'll leave the door open."

"O-okay." I dropped trou and closed my eyes; Tifa's warm hands wrapped around my forearms and, once I kicked free of the wet fabric, led me forward.

"There's a low sill... lift your foot higher. There." Her voice went all echo-y for a moment as we eased into the enclosure, and then steam filled my nose as heated liquid struck my chest and ran down my body.

"Is the water too hot?"

"N-no," I gritted out, digging my nails into my palms, barely resisting the urge to flee, sure that I could feel the liquid rising up my legs.

"Open your eyes," Tifa urged. "It's bright and clean, and the water is clear. It's draining away almost as fast as it falls, and the door is open."

Her description was undoubtedly supposed to be reassuring, but it wasn't working. An anguished noise leaked past my clenched teeth, and a moment after that Tifa was wrapped around me. I had a gloriously naked girl using _all_ of her wet curves to press me up against the wall... and I was too busy having a panic attack to enjoy it.

It _absolutely_ sucks to be me. "Are we done?"

"In a minute," she murmured soothingly. The water stream was directed over my head and I reflexively grabbed onto her for support. "It's all right," she crooned, her arm sliding around my waist and holding me close while the water sluiced over us. I tried to relax – I really, really did – but my flight response was getting the better of me.

A moment later, Tifa leaned back to rinse her hair. I had the sense to keep holding on, and managed to crack an eye in time to admire the view – and just as quickly shut it. For some reason, it felt _wrong_ to ogle. When Tifa straightened, I nestled my face into the crook of her neck and breathed, trying to calm my racing heart so that I could actually enjoy what should've been a really _awesome_ experience.

It didn't work, and not only because Tifa still smelled more like a guy than a girl. Maybe that's why she was throwing around the cuss words? Too much testosterone? "I _really_ need to get out of here," I whispered, shaking uncontrollably as the sensation of the walls collapsing became overwhelming.

"Be careful not to slip." The cold air of the outer room billowed in as she moved back and opened the door wider; I slipped out, realizing too late that she was staying when the door clicked shut behind me. Of course, the inside of the glass was now coated in condensation, so peeking was out of the question. Locating a towel, I briskly dried myself off, wincing over the grit still caught in delicate places because I was too much of a wimp to stick it out.

When the shower door finally opened, I kept my back to Tifa. That _other_ guy would've had a smirk and a lewd comment at the ready, and probably would've gone for a kiss and a grope, but I felt... kinda awkward, to be honest. My mother raised me to be a gentleman – and she would've tanned my hide if she knew even _half _the stunts my other persona had pulled with Tifa.

I had just finished buckling the straps of the aviator boots when Tifa said, "You can turn around now." She sounded... disappointed? _Shit._ People's expectations of my past non-life were going to be a challenge to overcome.

Tifa was wearing snug trousers and a zippered sweater that I hadn't seen in far too long, plus the girly flats from our date night at the Gold Saucer, and she was putting on her mother's silver earrings. Flinching as she pushed one of the shafts home, she noticed my concerned look and explained, "The holes in my ears have closed over a little bit." When she unwound her hair from a towel and started in on it with a brush, I took the opportunity to get closer to her again.

"Let me."

She handed over the brush with a smile, and I spent the next few minutes doing something that I enjoyed more than I cared to admit – playing with her hair. Letting the dark silk flow through my fingers while I smoothed the thick mass, finding the repetitive motions calming, it occurred to me that maybe that _other_ guy and I had more in common than I thought.

"That feels _really_ good," Tifa sighed, her shoulders relaxing as I carefully stroked her no-longer-spiky bangs away from her face. Tucking her hair behind her ears, I pressed a kiss to her forehead. She held still, her eyes closed, her face upturned in what appeared to be an invitation, so I hesitantly complied. Her hands slid around my shoulders and up into my hair, keeping me in place while she explained without words that I was welcome to visit for as long as I wanted to stay, or as long as we could hold our breath.

Which turned out to be a fairly long time.

Her eyes were misty when we broke apart. "That feels even _better_," she murmured, smiling. I hugged her close as she snuggled into my chest. We probably would've stayed like that for quite a while, but someone banged on the door. Tifa only raised her head slightly before calling, "Yes?"

Yuffie stuck her head inside the room. "We're ready when you are."

"Be there in two shakes of a Chocobo's tail."

The teen snickered and disappeared again; Tifa kissed me and then straightened the collar of my paratrooper-style jumpsuit. "This uniform suits you," she commented, smoothing her hands over my chest.

"Yet another branch of the military I've joined – in my head," I muttered. Tifa swatted me. "_Ow!_"

"You upheld the best ideals of SOLDIER," she growled. "Better than some of the _real_ members, because it isn't the uniform - it's what's _inside_ that counts." When I looked away, she caught my face between her hands and forced me to look her in the eye. "Believe in yourself... the way I believe in you."

"I-I'll try."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Five minutes later, we were outside the Operations Room, and panic was making my stomach twist; I had the irrational desire for a sword. Wiping my sweaty palms on my trousers, I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Warm fingers laced with mine, and I squeezed tightly. My anchor. My strength.

My _best_ friend.

Tifa rose up on tip-toe and kissed my cheek. "It'll be fine, Cloud. You'll see."

The room seemed rather crowded; it appeared that every off-duty member of the _Highwind_'s crew had shown up to listen to me humiliate myself. It took everything I had to not bolt back to the Crew's Quarters. Tifa's grasp on my hand helped, too.

Recalling that Yuffie and Nanaki had been in on my secret – without me being any the wiser – I decided to focus on them as I spoke; Yuffie tipped me a wink and Nanaki nodded when I made eye contact. Tifa stayed at my side and smiled encouragingly when I glanced down, giving me the confidence to say what had to be said.

Squaring my shoulders, I decided to just spit it out. "I'm Cloud Strife, an infantryman with the ShinRa Security Department. I never made SOLDIER – I couldn't pass the entrance exams. On a mission to Modeoheim during the Genesis Rebellion, one of my officers was a young SOLDIER named Zack Fair. He was everything I wanted to be – confident, skilled, conscientious, courageous, _admired_ – and I was honoured when we became friends."

"I met Zack in Wutai, after the fall of Fort Tamblin," Yuffie chimed in. "He was incredibly tolerant of a bratty little kid who liked to practice her ninja skills on him."

I mustered up a smile; Yuffie told me later it was the sickliest attempt she'd ever seen. "Five years ago, I accompanied Zack and General Sephiroth to my hometown of Nibelheim, to repair the Mount Nibel reactor. I hid my identity, because I had bragged to Tifa before I left that I was gonna be a famous SOLDIER like Sephiroth, and didn't think a lowly infantryman would be impressive enough."

"You _do_ like to fuck with yourself, doncha?" Cid grumbled tolerantly.

"Let the laddie talk," Cait commanded quietly from his seat on the table in front of Barret.

I inclined my head in the cat's direction. "During the reactor inspection, I had the chance to protect Tifa when a monster got loose. I was hit almost immediately; luckily Zack arrived in the nick of time to save my ass and then Tifa half-carried me down the mountain. If there was anything left of my ego after that, it wasn't worth mentioning."

Laughter rippled through the room; I heard a few of the crewmen joking that they wouldn't mind being rescued by Tifa. "Zack told me that General Sephiroth had been unnerved by the mako-ravaged monsters they found inside the reactor, and then Genesis Rhapsodos showed up out of the blue. Genesis started calling Sephiroth a 'monster', and Sephiroth kinda lost it, disappearing for almost a week. Then he put Nibelheim to the torch – murdered my mom and Mr. Lockhart, and nearly killed Tifa, too." I paused for a few moments, remembering the visceral terror I felt when I saw Tifa's battered form. "Zack fought Sephiroth first and was badly injured. I went after the asshole and managed to wound him for what he did to my town and the people I loved, but before I could finish him off, he skewered me with his sword and threw himself into the reactor core."

"So that story ya told us in Kalm...?" Barret trailed off.

"Was a combination of my and Zack's experiences in Nibelheim," I admitted.

"What happened to him?" Yuffie whispered, sounding stricken; Nanaki instantly moved to comfort her.

"We were both taken to the ShinRa Mansion and became Hojo's test subjects, kept in giant tubes full of mako. Just over a year ago, Zack somehow broke us out and hauled my mako-poisoned ass all over the Planet while avoiding capture. ShinRa caught up with us a few months back, a-and..." My voice wavered; Tifa slid her arm around my waist and tucked herself against my side, again lending me the strength to continue. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I said, "He was gunned down, but not before he single-handedly wiped out most of a ShinRa battalion." Taking another deep breath, I added, "Before he died, he gave me his sword, and entrusted me with his dreams... and his honour."

"The shock of his death must have been crippling," Vincent murmured, his crimson eyes sharp.

"M-my mind kinda broke, and I guess I tried to, um, 'be him'... everything that I thought I wasn't."

"Fucking ShinRa took everythin' that mattered to ya – even yer mind!" Barret snarled, and then his fierce expression softened. "'Cept fer Tifa."

I nodded, tightly hugging the girl at my side. "I-I'm sorry, everyone."

"What for, laddie?" Cait asked gently.

Hanging my head, I mumbled, "For being a fake." In the following silence, I swear everyone could hear my self-worth – what was left of it – shrivel into nothingness.

Cid cleared his throat. "I ain't no fucking expert," he gruffly stated, "but seems t' me that even in the short time I've been wi' this crew that you've more than fucking _earned_ the right to wear that SOLDIER uniform, boss." There was a murmured chorus of agreement.

Barret was apparently not discomfited in the least that the man who'd taken over defacto command of AVALANCHE lacked credentials. "Ya got a natural ability to lead, Spiky. Be proud o' that."

"You also survived the mako and Jenova injections," Vincent pointed out. "That speaks to your strength of will... and your selfless pursuit of justice speaks to your strength of character."

I had just started to breathe again when Yuffie cheerfully declared, "You're completely screwed up, Cloud – but that's just the way we like you!"

Barret muttered, "Ain't no difference from before, anyways."

There was another round of laughter, and as I looked at the grinning, smirking, and smiling faces of my friends, none of whom seemed bothered in the slightest by my confession, I slowly began to relax.

As if she could read my mind, Tifa murmured, "Told you. Actions speak louder than words, and you've never hesitated to put yourself in harm's way to protect any of us."

"So, what's next, boss?" Cid's fingers had twitched towards the cigarettes stashed in his goggle strap, then pulled back; I wondered who had told him he couldn't smoke in the confined space and mentally thanked them.

"Er... can we go back to Mideel Town?"

"Sure - what for?"

"Zack's sword... and I need to talk to someone."

Tifa gave me a final squeeze before letting go; I kept my arm around her shoulders just _because_. "The good news is that the Planet heard Aerith's prayer just before she was killed, but the bad news is that Sephiroth's will is blocking it," she bluntly stated. "He has to be removed before Holy can do its job and defeat Meteor."

"An attainable goal, now that Cloud-san is back," said Nanaki.

"Not so fast. There's a catch – if Meteor is too close to the Planet when Sephiroth goes down, Holy won't have time to work."

"So we might fucking lose the Planet anyways?" Barret asked in the hush.

She nodded. "How many days left until impact?"

"Three or four at the most," one of the crewmembers piped up.

"Then we'd better get fucking cracking," Cid declared, giving in and jamming a cigarette between his teeth. "First stop, Mideel Town."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"If the nurse asks after 'Teo Laurence', tell her that I was injured in the Weapon's attack. No, maybe you'd better tell her I was killed."

"Why?"

Tifa fussed with my harness, unnecessarily making sure the ShinRa logo was centred. "Do you remember those Third Class SOLDIERs that were, um, fried by Ifrit?"

"Yeah. I lost it when you went down," I said defensively.

"One of them was Thane Laurence. I used his dog-tags when I was, er, a guy."

"And...?" I had an inkling of where this was going, but preferred to wait for the full scope of the disaster.

Hunching her shoulders, Tifa whispered, "He was from Mideel. Julia Darrow – the nurse at the clinic – was his girlfriend."

My throat went dry. "_Shit_."

"There's a chance that other local boys were also killed in that battle, because a bunch of his friends shipped out together at the same time to enlist."

Gathering her close, I tried to deal with the emotions swirling around my head. This was the first time we'd been personally confronted with the fact that there were men inside those various ShinRa uniforms, men who had family and friends; it was easier to think of them as faceless opponents standing in our way. Shiva, I did _not_ want to deal with this. The irony that under different circumstances I might've been one of those 'faceless opponents' trying to kill off AVALANCHE didn't escape me, either.

"That must've been awkward," I observed, hating how the words were so banal.

Tifa seemed to shrink against my chest. "She doesn't know yet that she'll never see him again."

I couldn't think of anything that would be even remotely adequate to say, so I just hugged her more tightly, while selfishly thanking the various deities for giving me another chance to hold Tifa. After a little while, she wriggled free of my embrace; I used my fingers to tilt up her chin. Her eyes remained downcast, so I kissed her cheek and murmured, "I'll be back soon."

"Ready, 'Commander'?"

We both turned to see Vincent tricked out like a Second Class SOLDIER, sans helmet. Instead, he wore goggles to conceal his crimson eyes. "When did _you_ sign up?" I asked half-jokingly;

"Junon," he replied, adjusting the goggles. "We went undercover to rescue 'Laurence' and Barret from ShinRa."

"ShinRa captured you?" My brain instantly began supplying worst-case scenarios.

"When we were escaping from the Northern Crater," Tifa answered, finding the materia in my gauntlet extremely interesting.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Long story," she said sharply before giving my harness a final tweak. "Just... try to be extra polite, okay? The staff were very kind to me, and they looked after you very well."

"I'm _always_ polite," I protested, then remembered several instances when my other persona had been less than exemplary with civilians. "Er, yeah. Best behaviour. Absolutely."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Excuse me... is Dr. Lassiter here?"

The pretty young woman at the nursing station turned around and her mouth dropped open. "C-Commander Strife?" she asked faintly.

I applied my most charming grin. "Yes."

"You… you've recovered?"

As I nodded an affirmative, the 'Second Class' lurking behind me rumbled in his most sepulchral tones, "Time is of the essence. Answer the question, Miss Darrow."

Her eyes flicked to Vincent and she nervously licked her lips. "He's in his office."

Remembering Tifa's injunction, I asked, "May I speak with him, please?"

With another slightly panicky glance in Vincent's direction, she came out from behind her desk. "I'll take you to him."

"Wait outside, 'Major'," I ordered. "Have the _Highwind_ on standby."

He crisply saluted. "As you wish, 'Colonel'." I returned the salute, barely stifling the urge to grin. Vincent had been the one to suggest we assume military ranks, now that there was more than one of us playing at being a SOLDIER.

She looked positively relieved once Vincent swooped out the door; as I fell into step beside her, I assured, "He's a great guy, once you get to know him."

"With all due respect, Colonel, he gives me the shivers!" she declared, rubbing her arms. "I'm Julia Darrow, by the way."

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Darrow." We turned a corner; I noted the number of cracks running across the floor and up the walls of the corridor. "Is this building safe to be in?"

"Probably not, but this is the only hospital on all of Mideel and our equipment is still working. Was that thing a Weapon? There's been rumours circulating, but our communication links with the mainland are still down, so we can't confirm it."

"Yes. 'Lieutenant Laurence' identified it."

"Um… how _is_ Teo?"

She was so earnestly hopeful that I instantly decided against telling her that 'Teo' was dead; it was bad enough that _I _had killed her man. "He was badly injured and taken to, er, Junon for treatment."

Her hand flew up to her mouth. "Oh, my!" Then her expression changed, and she pulled a pair of dog-tags that I'd last seen around Tifa's neck out of her blouse. "Teo cheered me up by giving me these, because he shares the same initial and last name as my boyfriend. Um, he won't get in trouble, will he?"

"I'll let it go this time."

"Th-thank you." Fingering the tags, she added, "I haven't heard from Thane in weeks…."

"Saving the Planet is the top priority right now," I hastily interjected, feeling even more of a hypocrite.

Julia started, but then smiled shyly; she really was adorable, and I felt twice as shitty. "Teo said the same thing. I hope that he has the chance to see _his_ special person again before Meteor strikes."

"I suspect he already has," I said before thinking. Luckily, we'd reached Lassiter's office, and I didn't have to explain myself. Her hand was on the knob, but I stopped her. "I'll announce myself. Thank you, Miss Darrow."

"You're welcome, Colonel." Her smile became wistful. "Thane badly wanted to make First Class; he would've been thrilled to meet you."

I managed to smile back in what I hoped was a convincing manner. "I'm honoured. Er, is my sword still here?"

"Oh, yes – both it and your personal effects survived. I'll have them brought to the front desk." Smiling again, she tripped off in the direction we'd come.

Squaring up to the panel, I took a deep breath and swung the door open, stepping directly into the office without a knock. An older, sandy-haired man wearing a lab coat looked up from a sheaf of reports; his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, mirroring Julia Darrow's initial reaction as I began, "I'm..."

"I know who you are," he hoarsely interrupted. "And not just because you're the _spitting_ image of your mother. _How_ on the Planet have you managed to shake off the mako poisoning so quickly?"

"Another bath in the Lifestream." Snagging the chair in front of Lassiter's desk, I spun it around, straddled it and fixed him with a steady look. "I want to know about my parents… and Project G."

Sizing me up, he reached into his desk drawer and extracted a bottle of liquor plus a couple of glasses. "As I told your Mr. Laurence, the story of Project G is a long one, and told best with a drink. Where _is_ that young man, by the way?"

"Possibly dead by now of his injuries," I curtly replied, conceding that Tifa's idea to kill off her alter ego was probably the better one. "Don't tell Miss Darrow."

"How unfortunate." Pouring both of us generous measures of the alcohol, he raised his glass and solemnly intoned, "To Teo Laurence – a good SOLDIER, but a finer man." We drank to Teo's false memory, me trying not to choke on the irony. "Would you prefer to start with Project G – or Liza and Lowell?"

Steeling myself, I replied, "Mom and Dad, please."

He smiled with genuine pleasure. Setting aside his glass, he folded his hands behind his head, leaned back in his chair, and began, "I met your father when we were first year bio-engineering students…."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I'm _really_ not sure this is a good idea…."

"The deck is too hard, and we need some sleep before we reach Rocket Town," Tifa briskly replied, clipping the hammock's ring to the opposite wall. Yuffie was already conked out in the one next to ours, and Barret was sawing logs in the hammock beside hers.

"Nanaki is sleeping on the deck," I pointed out.

"On top of several packed parachute containers that aren't exactly ideal for the purpose."

"Sounds fine to me…."

"_Please_, Cloud?"

Like I could say 'no' to _that_ pleading expression. "I've had more to drink than I should, and I'm not sure the Tranquilizers are working," I protested weakly, but I was already unzipping my boots. "I'm _not_ taking off my trousers, though. With my luck, I'll get dumped out of that thing in the middle of the night in my underwear."

Snorting with muffled laughter, she watched me undress; she was already in her pyjamas, her hair braided and tied with a ratty blue silk ribbon. "I'll hold it steady for you. Sit down in it and then swing your legs inside."

"Easy for you to say," I grumbled, but did as I was told. The canvas shifted and wobbled, despite Tifa's grip, and a wave of nausea swept through me. "_Uhhh_, I don't know about this…."

"Scoot up," she urged, and the slight elevation seemed to help. Draping a blanket over me, Tifa squeezed into our swaying nest. After a few gymnastics, she managed to arrange herself to her satisfaction, while I held perfectly still and hoped that everything would stop moving soon. Tifa nestled close and lightly nuzzled my cheek; we shared a long, tender kiss before she tucked herself under my chin, her head over my heart, and sighed deeply.

The hammock's side-to-side motion gradually slowed until it was barely perceptible, and I managed to relax. Tifa's scent was part of the reason; she smelled more like herself with every passing hour, and her gentle fragrance worked even better than a Tranquilizer to calm me down. Having her in my arms helped, too. When I'd climbed over the _Highwind_'s railing after my conversation with Lassiter, my head spinning with all the information, Tifa's sweet face was the first thing I saw – and I realized that nothing really mattered except her unwavering belief in me.

My anchor, my strength, my friend... my Tifa.

Judging by the pliant way her body was now fitting against mine and her deepened breathing, she was either asleep or close to it. Reeling in her braid, I untied the ribbon; after carefully looping the length of silk around her wrist, I set about freeing her hair, amusing myself by imagining the soft length spilling over the side of the hammock like a dark waterfall. She murmured and shifted against me; I cuddled her close and didn't think about anything too complicated. A funny story that Lassiter had told about my mom, my dad and a bridal shower gone awry popped into my head, but it would have to wait.

Someday, if the gods were kind, Tifa and I would have our own stories to tell.

But first, we had a Planet to save.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	19. Rocket Men

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; returned to Square Enix after being forced to sing along with the 'Best of Elton John'.

**A/N: **Sorry for the long delay between updates – real life kinda kidnapped me for a while very much for your patience, and the gentle pokes were much appreciated!

I've always found it very strange that Cloud, who has the super-human strength of a SOLDIER, can't _possibly_ shift a chunk of debris without Shera's help. This version of the Rocket lacks artificial gravity, so expect shenanigans once outer space is reached, and I redesigned the interior of the escape pod to make it a little more claustrophobic.

Also, merrily re-assigning, re-organizing and re-purposing Original Game dialogue, plus tweaking details to fit with _Dirge of Cerberus_.

**Shout-out to MomCalling**: I suggested your idea for some, ahem, 'hammock action' to Muse!Cloud and received the most emphatic 'Not interested!' I've ever heard in return. Guess that motion sickness really _is_ a problem….

**Warnings: **Acute improbability, coarse language, violence, canon abuse.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, who continue to make this fic a ton of fun to write!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Nineteen: Rocket Men**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Are we _sure_ we shouldn't stop them?"

Nanaki rubbed his chin on his foreleg. "It is a plausible idea. Simply because Scarlet was involved does not necessarily make it evil."

"Says _you_," Tifa practically hissed; I shot her a questioning look, but she ducked.

We were lurking on a bluff overlooking the launch pad at Rocket Town. The _Highwind_ was tucked out of sight behind us, in a rocky basin barely wider than her main rotors. Below us, ShinRa personnel swarmed around the rusty old rocket wreathed in exhaust gases, as a glowing boulder was awkwardly squeezed through a hatch. "Looks like the count-down will be starting soon."

"What about their souls?" Yuffie whimpered.

Barret frowned at her apparently out-of-the-blue remark. "Souls?"

"What we learned at Cosmo Canyon – materia is made of condensed souls," the teen whispered. "That Huge Materia must contain thousands of people's spirits that'll _never_ be reborn. What about them?"

Nanaki nuzzled her cheek. "I think they would be proud of this opportunity to defend the Planet, Yuffie-kun."

"But _you _don't think it'll work," she sniffled.

"I do not," he admitted. "Magic summoned Meteor, and I suspect that magic will be required to defeat it. However, attempting to divert or destroy Meteor is a worthy endeavour, because if it _does_ succeed, then we have one less problem to deal with."

I leaned over and gently prodded Cid's shoulder; the pilot was absolutely rigid, staring down at the hive of activity. "You okay just watching?"

"They ain't got a hope in _hell_ of gettin' that fucking thing anywhere _near_ fucking Meteor without a competent pilot," he snarled. "The fucking systems weren't programmed for a fucking unmanned launch – the fucking auto-pilot was only meant for fucking orbit."

"How wouldja get back?" Barret asked.

"An escape pod," Cid answered, his entire attention focussed on the rocket.

_His_ rocket. The one he'd hoped to ride to the stars all those years ago. I have no idea what possessed me, but after checking to make sure Tifa was busy fussing over Yuffie, I scooted closer and muttered in Cid's ear, "Count me in the boarding party, Cap'n."

He slanted me a look. Shifting his cigarette to the other side of his mouth, he mumbled, "You sure?" When I nodded, he hunched forward and cast an experienced eye over the number of potential opponents. "We need a marksman."

"Vincent," we agreed in unison.

I crab-walked backwards and then casually wandered over to the gunman, currently lounging in the shade of a rock. Squatting beside him, I murmured, "Gonna make sure the rocket hits Meteor. You in?"

He favoured me with a long, considering look, then nodded once; I eased my way back to Cid. "How many seats in the escape pod?"

"It'll be tight with three an' yer big fucking sword."

"Then we're good." As we stood up, I said, "Vincent, Cid and I are gonna see about that Huge Materia. Barret and Cait, can you organize a distraction on the other side of the site? The rest of you, wait on the _Highwind_ so we can get the hell outta here on a moment's notice."

There was an instant, dismayed chorus, which I expected. Tifa's reaction – well, I wasn't completely prepared for hers. Her fearful expression made my heart twist up all funny; before she could say anything, I slipped my arm around her and cupped her cheek with my other hand. "This is a chance to make Cid's dream of going into space a reality, and maybe save the Planet, too."

"_But_…!"

"Cid's not likely to get another chance," I whispered, pressing my forehead against hers. Her warm skin-scent was highly distracting and reminded me of how we'd started our day. Snuggling and cuddling had led to her pyjama top unbuttoning and the sensations of skin on skin were highly arousing... except I'm not crazy enough to attempt _anything_ requiring more movement than kissing in a hammock.

Twisting handfuls of my sweater, Tifa just _looked_ at me with those frightened eyes. "It'll be fine. I trust Cid," I murmured, even though I felt extremely guilty because she'd gone through so much to bring me back, and now I was taking off on her. Cradling the back of her head, I pulled Tifa closer and kissed her thoroughly. She clung to me, deepening the contact with almost desperate need… and not caring _at all_ that we were giving everyone else quite a show.

Breaking the kiss, she pleaded, "I want to come with you."

"There's not enough room in the escape pod. I'll come back - I promise." Biting her lip, she looked close to tears; I kissed her once more, then handed her over to Yuffie and Nanaki. "Look after my girl."

Yuffie narrowed her eyes. "You _sure_ you need to do this?"

"Yes. For Cid's sake as much as the Planet's."

"Don't screw up."

"Not planning on it."

The teen still looked doubtful, but a second after that, she was cracking my ribs with a ferocious hug. "Jerk," she muttered before she let go.

A couple of minutes later, after Cid finished giving his First Officer some last-minute instructions, the three of us were skidding down the back side of the bluff. As we sorted ourselves out at the bottom and headed towards the unsuspecting ShinRa employees, I muttered, "Non-lethal injuries only, okay? They're only doing their job – trying to save the Planet."

"We're on the same page, boss. Most of these people are techs, not military," Cid said, lighting a fresh cigarette. Hefting his lance, he squinted against the sunlight and hissed, "_Fuck_. Just saw a fucking Turk up by the capsule."

"That means Rufus or one of his henchmen is here."

"If it's Scarlet, she's mine," Vincent abruptly growled.

"Why the sudden hate for the bimbo?" I asked. Between Tifa's reaction and now his, it made me wonder exactly what I'd missed while paddling in the Lifestream.

"It is a matter of honour," Vincent gravely replied, which of course only made me more curious, but a sudden barrage of gunfire that could only have come from Barret's multiple barrels, overlaid by Cait's megaphone ordering 'all personnel' to deal with a 'security breach' on the 'west side', caused an immediate scramble.

In a matter of seconds, the crowd had dwindled by about a third. Charging into the remainder, I batted people out of our path with the Buster Sword while Cid made horizontal sweeps with his lance. We probably caused some spectacular bruising as well as twisted knees, but to my knowledge, we didn't kill anyone. Vincent emptied his magazines into the air over our heads; along with the element of surprise, it was enough to send the rest scuttling for cover among the crates and pipes.

Swatting aside the pair of troopers guarding the access ramp, we swarmed up the stairs. On the platform above, an officer rallied his troops, but after the first guy was cold-cocked and the second chose to jump rather than attack, we encountered only light opposition. So far, so good. Scaling a very long, very rickety ladder that left us exposed to sniper fire – although no one fortunately took advantage of the opportunity - we made it to the gantry catwalk.

"Where the hell's that fucking Turk?" Cid demanded.

On cue, a tall, bald-pated man wearing dark shades appeared out of the hatch, flanked by a pair of helmeted troopers. "You again?" Rude grumbled, gesturing the guards forward. "Can't you just stay dead, Strife?"

Vincent shot the rifles out of the guards' hands before they even had time to flick off the safeties; I rushed forward and smacked them with the flat of the blade. Cid sprang over the groaning men and walloped the Turk across the knees with his lance, sending the big man tottering backwards. A quick jab to the jaw with the butt end of the lance, and Rude was flat on his back. Tossing aside his cigarette, Cid bellowed, "Fucking ShinRa – getcher fucking hands offa my rocket!" and dove into the open hatch; a second or two later, a dazed Second Class was tossed out onto the catwalk.

Vincent almost casually stuck out his foot and sent the stumbling SOLDIER sprawling on top of Rude as we entered the rocket proper and found the airlock empty. On the far end of the platform, another squad of troopers tumbled off the access ladder and formed up; I hit the button and the hatch swished shut. Dull red interior lights flicked on, illuminating the controls for the only inner door. "After you," Vincent rumbled, but I led with my sword as we stepped over the threshold and into a short corridor sealed by another door, which slid open to emit a cheery trio of crewmen.

"You with the captain?" one of them hailed. "Better hustle! He's gettin' ready for the count-down!"

"You guys leaving?" I asked.

"Yep! Captain Cid told us to skedaddle, so we're skedaddlin'!"

Bemused, we stood aside to let each other pass in the narrow space. "Make sure you secure the airlock door before you open the hatch," I said. "Identify yourselves, too, because there's some ShinRa troopers out there that aren't too happy with us."

"ShinRa's _always_ given the captain the short stick," the second crewmen replied. "Maybe they'll think twice now that he's gonna save the Planet by blowin' up Meteor!"

"It's gonna be _so cool_!" enthused the third. "You guys are _so_ lucky!"

Vincent loitered to make sure that the airlock door was secured; I didn't hear any gun fire from outside, so hopefully the crew made it out alive when they came face-to-face with the trigger-happy troopers. When Vincent gave the all-clear, I hit the release for the inner door and stepped into the command module, where I found Cid turning the air blue as he worked the control panel.

"Getcher asses strapped in!" he roared. "They're launchin' the fucking thing!"

Vincent and I obeyed with alacrity. Barely a second after I'd figured out how to clip the five-point harness, the capsule started shaking like it was trying to come apart... and guess where I'd left my supply of Tranquilizers? In my knapsack, on the _Highwind_. _Damn._ Beside me, Cid cursed continuously as he spun various knobs and clicked buttons, staring hard at the readout array. Finally, he stabbed a button and barked, "Tower! What the fuck d'you think yer doin'?"

An unwelcome voice sing-songed, "Miss Shera ra-dioed that everything was rea-dy, so I lau-nched it!"

"Fuck you, Palmer," Cid snarled, slapping the button. "An' damn Shera, too. Boss! Quit turnin' green an' grab ahold o' those fucking controls! See that red dot near the top o' the screen, an' the yellow square at the bottom? Meteor's the dot an' we're the square – aim at the dot as soon as the square turns green an' the controls switch to manual."

Wetting my dry lips, doing my best to ignore the roiling in my stomach and the way it felt like my skeleton was being vibrated right out of my skin, I focussed on the blinking yellow square. Testing the controls, I found that they responded smoothly – not what I would have expected in an abandoned rocket. Even the graphics on the screen looked suspiciously modern. Glancing around at the meticulous interior, I commented, "Somebody's been on top of the internal maintenance."

Cid blinked and repeated my cursory inspection. "Huh. Can't imagine who would've bothered."

"Wasn't this supposed to be an unmanned mission?"

"So we were led to believe," Vincent dourly observed.

"Did we walk into a trap?" I mumbled, feeling nauseous and not entirely because of the rocket's motion. At that moment, the bone-rattling sensation abruptly ceased, the square turned green and the controls became responsive in my hands.

"Whoo-hoo! We made it, boys!" Cid crowed, punching another button. "We'll make one orbit of the Planet and slam into Meteor head-on. Six degrees to port, boss."

"Port?"

"Eh? Oh, yeah… that'd be 'left', fer you landlubbers. Right is 'starboard'." A gentle, but distinct bump somewhere behind us in the spacecraft had him cocking his head. "Dammit! Hope those morons properly secured that fucking Huge Materia! Could knock us off the fucking target if it starts bouncin' around in that fucking cargo bay!"

"I will check," Vincent offered, unclipping his harness.

"Door 1-A. Just make sure you got a good grip on the… uh-oh. Zero gravity's a bitch, eh, Vinnie?" I followed Cid's line of sight and couldn't help grinning at the sight of Vincent bobbing upside down near the ceiling like a large, grumpy bat. "Use the handholds to pull yourself around."

"Prior warning would have been appreciated," the discomfited gunman muttered, his hair and cloak floating around his head as he managed to catch hold of both his escaped gun and the nearest metal handle. "Watch yourselves."

"Well, fuck." Cid kept one eye on the errant Buster Sword as it lazily cart-wheeled above our heads. "Better keep it away from the instrument panel, eh? How's my ol' 26 handling?"

"The rocket? Pretty good."

He nodded, punching more buttons. "Once we bail, we'll splash down in the Southern Ocean between Wutai an' Mideel. The _Highwind_'s tracking us right now." Cid peered closely at me. "How're ya feelin', boss? Yer lookin' pretty perky."

"I, er… fine," I answered, considerably surprised to realize that he was right.

"Figured as much," he chortled, clapping my shoulder. "Give ya somethin' ta concentrate on, an' ya settle right down." For the next several minutes, Cid monitored the readouts and fed me course corrections as required. "Should have a good view about now." Pressing another button, the main screen split in half. "Wouldja look at that," Cid breathed, and we stared in awed admiration at the pale blue Planet, a white-wrapped jewel set in the star-spangled velvety blackness of space.

"Beautiful," I mumbled, distinctly unnerved by the fragility of our home.

"Worth fightin' for," the pilot declared. "Hope the souls in the Huge Materia feel the same way."

"I doubt that they would object," Vincent said from behind us. "We have a stowaway."

"Eh?" Cid spun around his chair, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw his lip curl. "What the fuck are _you_ doin' here?"

"Monitoring the oxygen tanks, Captain," Shera meekly replied; I kept my eyes on the screen, but easily imagined the woman defensively curling into a ball as she prepared for Cid's verbal abuse. He didn't restrain himself.

"Goddamn _fucking_..."

"Why did you remain on board, Miss Shera?" Vincent asked, cutting off Cid's tirade.

"I was worried about Tank No. 8," she replied. "Its valve is faulty."

"Same goddamn reason you aborted the last fucking launch," Cid snarled venomously. "Why'd you let it go this time?"

"It's a chance to save the Planet."

As the pilot opened his mouth to launch another verbal assault, I spoke up. "You did a great job cleaning up the Rocket."

"Th-thank you, Mr. Strife. How are the controls?"

"Real smooth."

She appeared at my shoulder, positively beaming. "I nearly pulled out my hair configuring the directional thrusters!"

Vincent inspected the spectacular view of the Planet visible on the screen. "It resembles a materia," he commented, before snagging the Buster Sword and sliding its hilt on an angle through one of the handholds and its tip through another, leaving it to clank gently against the ceiling.

Cid muttered something under his breath, but went back to his instrument array. "Impact in ten minutes," he announced. "Auto-pilot engaging in five."

"Oh, dear," Shera mumbled, mopping her brow. A droplet of sweat escaped and bobbled drunkenly in front of the screen.

"What's up?" I asked, noting that the hellish glow of Meteor's aura was now visible just above the curve of the Planet's surface.

Shera wrung her hands, casting fearful glances at Cid. "The escape pod's release system hasn't been upgraded," she admitted. "I'm not sure the clamps will disengage."

"You knew that you might not be able to escape, but chose to remain on board anyways?" Vincent queried.

When Shera nodded, I realized the probable reason why she was risking her life. "You didn't trust the auto-pilot either."

"No. We couldn't fully automate the systems in the time ShinRa allotted to us, and this mission is too important to fail," she replied.

"Damn woman," Cid growled, but his tone was wry instead of menacing. "Tryin' ta be the fucking hero, eh?"

"Heroine," Vincent blandly corrected. "I believe she has earned the right."

Shaking his head at the gunman, Cid asked, "How bad are the clamps?"

His less-aggressive attitude seemed to fluster Shera. "I, um, had the worst of the rust brushed off and, er, the hinges greased, but I didn't have time to test the release mechanisms."

"Did you replace the explosive charges?"

"Er, yes."

"Then we should be a-okay," the pilot said. "Ya might be fucking slow, but yer meticulous."

Blushing scarlet, Shera stammered, "Th-thank you, Captain."

Before Cid could reply, I exclaimed, "There it is!" We contemplated the menacing grandeur of Meteor in awed silence for a few moments.

"It is inside the orbit of the moon," Vincent observed.

"Yep. Only two or three days until it hits." Checking the readouts, Cid announced, "Auto-pilot engaged - time to abandon ship, me hearties," and unbuckled his straps.

I reluctantly let go of the now-locked controls and followed suit, not too thrilled about the potential of leaving a little trail of vomit-bubbles through the spacecraft. My butt had barely left the seat when Vincent caught hold of my belt and pushed me in the direction of the Buster Sword. Trying very hard not to flail at the sensation of being completely out of control, I managed to grab a handhold before bouncing off the wall and then freed the weapon from its impromptu brackets. Vincent helped secure it to my harness before propelling me ahead of him as we followed Cid and Shera into the corridor.

Door 3-A whirled open, giving access to a passage that reminded me of the sewers below Don Corneo's lair – just a great deal cleaner and better-lit. It was fairly easy to negotiate; I pulled myself along using the handholds countersunk into the metal walls, Vincent quite literally on my heels. At the end of the passage, I manoeuvred myself through a second iris-door – and found myself looking upside down at Cid and Shera, who were already strapped into half of the available seats in the ball-like pod.

"Gimme your hand," Cid genially directed and swung me across the small space. "Watch yer sword."

While I pulled the blade off my back with my free hand, Shera grabbed hold of my trouser leg and tugged me down into the seat beside her, holding on until I managed to fasten the straps. Vincent made the manoeuvre look ridiculously elegant as he effortlessly swooped into the final seat next to Cid, who then released his straps to float overhead. Bracing his feet on the bulkhead, the pilot secured the hatch, then pulled himself back into his seat.

"Keep that pig-sticker clear o' the controls, boss," he directed, flipping switches while Shera pressed buttons. The pod abruptly came to life with a distinct hum; within a few seconds of the lights turning fully on, I felt less cold. "Since we got ripped off by the Tower, let's have us a little count-down now," Cid suggested.

"Absolutely, Captain." Shera closely watched several readouts; when the numbers stopped spinning, she opened a circular cover and released a U-shaped handle. Taking a firm grip on it, never taking her eyes from four blinking red lights, she began counting down. When she reached 'one', she twisted the handle a quarter-turn and tersely announced, "Release clamp ignition sequence initiated." The pod vibrated as the lights turned yellow. Giving the handle another quarter-turn, Shera murmured, "Firing charges… _now_." The trembling increased, and I swallowed hard.

"_Dammit_." Cid's quiet curse was shocking in its lack of volume, and it was plainly obvious what had caused it. Three of the four lights on the console had turned a steady green… but one continued to flash bright yellow. "Well, that fucking tears it. One of the fucking clamps stuck."

I'm fairly sure that everyone in the escape pod experienced the same stomach-turning panic at that moment… well, except maybe Vincent. He merely folded his arms across his chest.

Shera returned the handle to its previous position, counted to ten under her breath, then twisted it again. Nothing happened; the light continued its jaundiced blinking. "I'm sorry," she whispered, slumping in her seat. "I should've checked the charges more carefully."

Cid reached across and gripped her hand. "You did yer best," he said, his voice cracking.

I stared blindly at the floor. We had, at most, barely a minute or two to live before we were plunged into Meteor's stony guts. How the hell was I supposed to keep my promise to Tifa? "Is there _anything_ we can do?" I implored.

"Nope." Cid ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry 'bout all this."

At that moment, we were thrown violently against the straps holding us in our seats, and then the pod began spinning at high speed. The centrifugal force rammed the Buster Sword into my chest, pinning me back against the seat; I almost blacked out before the sickening motion stopped with another concussion-inducing change in direction, reversed itself for a few mercifully slow revolutions before finally stopping, with us more-or-less upright.

"I-Is everyone all r-right?" Cid quavered, his wobbly voice matching his green complexion. "Shera! _Shera!_" The unconscious woman hung limply in her straps; I quickly cast Cure until she opened her eyes.

"D-did the flight stabilizers finally work?" she weakly rasped, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

"What the hell you talkin' about, woman?" She made a twirling motion with her hand and Cid nodded. "Seems so – it don't feel like we're inside o' a washin' machine any more."

"Were they also responsible for freeing us from the rocket?" Vincent asked.

"N-no. Something else knocked us loose," Shera replied, regaining some of her composure. Poking a button on the console, a cover slid back, revealing a small viewing window. "Grab that joystick, Captain, and let's have a look."

Cid complied. After an apologetic glance, he said, "Sorry, boss – yer too far away from the controls." I shrugged and concentrated on the window. When we could finally see the rocket – and Meteor's looming bulk beyond it – we were startled by the impressive plume of gas escaping from the fuselage. "What the fucking hell...?" Cid began, then lapsed into unexpected silence. After several moments, he finally mumbled, "Looks like you were right about Tank No. 8, Shera."

"Lucky for us that it decided to fail now," she calmly replied.

"Yeah," he answered, smiling ruefully. "We'd better get our asses out of range."

"An excellent idea," Vincent rumbled. Shera pressed another button, and the pod shook.

"What was that?" I asked.

"Just a small amount of thrust to put us back into the upper atmosphere where the Planet's gravitational pull will do the rest. The re-entry might be a little rough - how are you feeling, Mr. Strife?"

"Hope you have barf bags handy," I replied with a weak attempt at a cocky grin.

Shera's eyes twinkled behind her glasses. "I do believe I have discovered an oversight in the equipment planning," she deadpanned.

"Write it up in yer report," Cid teased.

Her answering smile was tinged with sadness. "You finally made it into orbit, Captain. Congratulations."

"It's purty impressive," he replied, gazing fixedly out the window. After a long moment, he continued in a choked tone, "I'm glad that you were here, too."

"Thank you, sir," she murmured, her cheeks turning pink as she found the selection of blinking lights on the console completely absorbing. Vincent coughed delicately into his gauntlet; the idea that the gunman might be snickering took my mind off my stomach for several minutes, until Shera said, "Exterior temperatures climbing."

"Wish we had a few more minutes to admire the stars," Cid sighed as the darkness outside faded to pearl-grey and then became tinged with pale orange.

"We'll run out of oxygen if our entry is delayed by even a few seconds," Shera crisply stated.

"A scientist all the way," the pilot snorted. "D'you have _any_ romantic bones in yer body, woman?"

"Of course I do," she retorted. "But I'm more interested in keeping body _and_ soul together – and our oxygen supplies are limited."

"Fine," he huffed, but there was no anger in his tone. "Let's go get wet."

"Will the rocket's impact on Meteor be visible?" Vincent asked.

At that moment, we were blinded by a blaze of white light flooding through the viewing window; then gravity reasserted its hold, and we were pinned in our seats by g-forces while being shaken like dice in a can. It felt like my brains were being squeezed out of my ears.

The pressure eased somewhat just after Shera announced, "Parachutes deployed," in a voice that shook only slightly less than our vehicle.

When I could finally see again, there was blue rushing up at us. I barely processed that it was water before we hit, the impact driving us through the sunlit green all the way to the border of the fathomless depths before we stopped and slowly, very slowly, began rising back towards the light, life and air.

However, as soon as we bobbed to the surface, the pod began rolling unhindered in the waves, and the lack of barf bags became a distinct problem. Cid shot me a warning look. "Hang in there, boss – the _Highwind_'ll be here in no time an' ya can heave into the scuppers to yer heart's content." I nodded, keeping my mouth shut for fear of tempting fate.

Despite Cid's assurance, it was several more minutes before something clunked on the hull of the pod and dragged noisily across its surface; I glimpsed a large cargo hook trailing across the viewing window before it snagged on something, and then we were being winched into the air. Of course, this meant more spinning, like a ball on the end of a string, but it only lasted a few seconds before the pod landed with a thump on the deck of the _Highwind_ and was somehow braced so we didn't roll.

Cid and Shera unbuckled their straps. "Th' boss goes first," he directed. "Vinnie, help boost him out as soon as the hatch opens." Three sharp raps sounded, and Cid immediately stood up and spun the airlock wheel. Pushing with all his strength, he cursed violently when it refused to budge. "The edges of the metal skin musta fused on re-entry," he grumbled. "Hafta wait until th' boys cut it open from the outside."

"We need air – give those handles a twist to open the emergency supply," Shera directed, and the atmosphere became distinctly less thick.

Hammering instantly started and I concentrated on staying calm; I noticed that Cid and Shera were discreetly holding hands, her smaller one fully hidden inside his gloved paw. The light from the window was blocked, and we looked up at Barret's craggy mug. His lips moved, and we all snorted at the stream of curses that were undoubtedly turning the outside air blue. He either moved or was pushed aside, Yuffie peering worriedly at us. Her face split into a huge grin and she said something to someone else, who a second later turned out to be Tifa. I managed a sickly grin and a thumbs-up for her benefit; from her expression, I was either going to be kissed senseless or _knocked_ senseless as soon as she got her hands on me.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Kissing won, thank Shiva.

An hour later, we watched the Escape Pod roll over the _Highwind_'s stern to land with a large splash in the tropical waters off the northernmost tip of Mideel. Cid stood at the rail with his arm around Shera, watching as the pod rapidly sank out of sight; he seemed to be fine with the loss of this last memento of his space ambitions. He'd made Shera blush and stammer by declaring that she'd saved all of us from ShinRa's 'fucking suicide mission' and praising her technical know-how. Yuffie and Vincent were standing near them, Vincent's cloak streaming dramatically in the wind of our passage. Barret and Nanaki had left off fussing over us to 'keep an eye' on the bridge, but I suspect it was more because it was distinctly chilly on deck.

Our course had been set for the Northern Crater, because Shera's calculations on Meteor's new entry trajectory had it heading straight for the capital. Nanaki was right - we'd failed to stop Sephiroth's Summon. The rocket and its Huge Materia payload hadn't disintegrated Meteor like we - and ShinRa - had hoped; instead, only the asteroid's surface crust had fractured, leaving its core intact. The massive chunks of crust were prevented from escaping by Meteor's gravitational forces, so in effect, it had doubled in size. The other bad news? The explosion had accelerated Meteor, so impact was now expected within twenty-four hours.

Twenty-four hours to save the world.

Twenty-four hours to defeat the monster that had, either directly or indirectly, taken nearly everything that I held dear.

The exception being, of course, the beautiful girl currently in my arms, her breath warm on my throat, her long hair tickling over my bare skin. Barret had no sooner grabbed my harness, hauled me up through the finally-open hatch and dropped me on the _Highwind_'s deck when Tifa was wrapped around me. She took my breath away, in a _very_ good way, and I made sure that she knew exactly how grateful I was to be able to hold her again. Now, though, after we'd had the chance to realize the scope of our predicament, the mood was very different.

"I'm _scared_," Tifa whispered, her words almost lost in the whipping wind.

"Me, too," I replied, cuddling her closer.

"Are you ready?"

"To face Sephiroth?" I contemplated the distant horizon. "I don't know if I'll ever _be_ ready, but I'll do what I have to do."

"I'll be at your side," she declared. "You won't be alone." The following kiss was sincere and oh-so-sweet, but just as it was turning deeper and more interesting, someone cleared their throat.

Smirking broadly, knowing exactly what he'd interrupted, Cid said, "C'mon, kiddies – time to put our heads together and figure out how to cure the Planet of fucking Sephiroth."

"You make him sound like a disease," Yuffie complained.

"He _is_ a disease – festerin' inside this poor Planet and makin' 'er sick. We're the cure – just gotta figure out how to go about it."

Cait Sith stuck his head around the side of the support column and beckoned. "_Auch_, it's cold out 'ere! Come below, lads and lassies – we 'ave some news."

Slightly disgruntled by our make-out session being interrupted, I held Tifa back until the others had gone ahead – but while I pinned her up against the wall, she was the one who took things to the next level. We were exploring each other's mouths, her hands in my hair while mine were busy running over her curves, when she suddenly gripped my shoulders and hiked her legs around my waist. Despite the layers of fabric between us, the suggestive contact instantly sent all the blood in my body rushing to my crotch and my knees went weak just as I _really_ needed balance. Breaking the kiss, I planted my feet and cupped her ass; once I was sure I wouldn't drop her, I slowly ground my erection against her while nuzzling her throat. Tifa moaned my name, and my arousal hit critical mass.

"We'd better stop, or I'm gonna have to take extreme measures to get rid of my hard-on before we rejoin the others," I muttered, trying to control my breathing.

"What kind of 'extreme measures'?" Tifa huskily inquired, her cheeks prettily flushed as she clung to my shoulders.

"Shoving an Ice materia down my shorts."

She winced. "The ultimate 'blue balls'." Squirming in a manner _not_ designed to help my situation, Tifa whispered, "I-I don't m-mind if we use a more, um, _pleasant_ method..." It took me a couple of seconds, during which she blushed but continued to roll her hips in subtle invitation, to realize what she was offering.

Gimme a break; all my blood was occupied elsewhere than my brain, so thinking was a challenge.

"Hold that thought – at least until tonight," I answered, softly kissing her on the mouth, and then all the potential ramifications sank in. "Y-you really mean it?"

She blushed even more brightly, but nodded. "Yes. I-I don't want to wait any more."

Left unspoken was the looming holocaust in our immediate future which may have helped with the timing of the decision, but that didn't matter. "No hammocks."

Tifa tittered nervously. "I'll think of something." She slowly unlocked her legs and I held on until she was again standing on her feet. I rearranged myself and kissed her again, then we simply hugged until things had settled down. However, we both had a bounce to our step as we descended into the bowels of the airship several minutes later.

My motion sickness held off; after being trapped inside the Escape Pod, the _Highwind_ seemed positively spacious and well-ventilated. Traversing the catwalk over the engines, we joined the others in the cockpit. Cait was sitting on one of the consoles, his heels tapping against the metal; from the glint in his eye, he knew _exactly_ why we were the last ones to arrive.

"Naow that we're all 'ere, I'mma tell ye what ShinRa's up to," the cat began, before abruptly switching to Reeve's smooth tones. "_The city is in a panic_," he said. "_The Turks and the Security Department have lost control; martial law has been declared, for what it's worth_."

"Marlene's still safe with Elmyra, right?" Barret demanded.

"_Yes, for the moment_." Reeve sounded impossibly tired; I could almost picture him rubbing his hand over his face. "_No place on the Planet will be safe if we fail_."

"What else?" I asked.

"_ShinRa has decided to focus its efforts on destroying Sephiroth, and in order to bring down his barrier, Rufus had the Sister Ray brought from Junon. It's been mounted on the Upper Plate and plugged into the mako reactor network. I'm supervising the final installation and calibration as we speak_."

"Hopefully it'll be enough to punch a hole that we can fly through." Turning to Cid, I confirmed, "You can do that, right?"

"Piece o' cake, boss."

"If you can utilize me, Reeve, I will assist you." We all looked at Vincent, who shrugged. "I was once a Turk," he said, as if that explained everything.

Yuffie opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "I'll go, too!" she declared. "Cid, you'll drop us off?"

"Sure thing, kid – if Reeve wants ya."

"_I would be pleased to have both of you_," he answered. "_I was holding off ordering the full evacuation of the Upper Plate and the Slums – the sick, the elderly and children have already been shipped to Junon and Kalm - but I can move more people if I have reliable help._"

At that moment, the deck rocked beneath our feet, and we all grabbed for the nearest support. "What the hell was that?" Cid roared as the glass panes in the nacelle rattled.

"A shockwave of some kind?" suggested one of the crew. "The instruments are going crazy!"

"Reeve?"

"Lost th' laddie," Cait answered, patting his chest. "Somethin' _big_ happened!"

"Sir! An open distress call from Midgar! A Weapon has been spotted!" shouted the radioman. "They're recalling all aerial units from the Northern Crater!"

"Yo, Cid! Midgar needs help – let's go!"

"So now ya wanna protect Midgar instead o' blowin' it up?" Cait Sith sneered.

Barret wheeled around, his dark eyes flashing. "I wanted t' make fucking ShinRa pay for the deaths of my family and friends in Corel, an' the fucking mess they were makin' o' the Planet," he growled. Running his hand over his cropped hair, he admitted, "When we blew the reactor, I didn't really think 'bout the people who died – but I know better now, an' I gotta make it up to 'em. I wanna help Cid protect this Planet an' everyone on it – includin' ShinRa employees."

The toy doffed its crown and bowed. "We're all guilty o' sins, but if we can save th' Planet, mayhap our slates'll be wiped clean."

"It's a good start," Tifa said softly.

"Captain, the Weapon is crossing the strait between the Northern and Eastern Continents!"

"Awright, let's get down to fucking business!" Cid crowed. "Battle stations, ladies, gents an' cats! We got us a Weapon to kill!"

"Captain, you're not planning on ramming it...?" one of the crewmen nervously asked.

"Naw – the ship can't take another hit like that." Waving in my direction, he said, "That reminds me – picked up a little souvenir for ya, boss. Give it to ya later." Grinning toothily, Cid added, "Time to pull out the big guns, boys!" Barret immediately headed for the ammunition locker, while Vincent selected materia; I fidgeted.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked quietly.

"Not used to being the audience," I muttered.

Yuffie was close enough to overhear; snorting, she tapped the materia in my Dragon Armlet. "Go cast some spells, since Vincent'll be busy shooting things."

Tifa's confident smile was infectious, so I gave her a squeeze and Yuffie a cheeky grin before following Vincent and Barret back up on deck. Cait Sith came, too; when I raised my eyebrows at him, he said, "I'm waitin' for Reeve ta come back online – they're gonna fire the Sister Ray real soon an' we don' wanta be in its path."

"Shouldn't you be on the bridge with Cid?"

"Imma patchin' into th' intercom from 'ere."

On cue, Cid's raucous tones immediately came through the overhead deck intercom as well as Cait's chest. "Have a look offa the port bow, kiddies!"

"Ain't that _somethin'_!" Barret exclaimed. "They've grafted th' fucking Sister Ray onto Midgar like th' gun on my stump!"

"Amazing what they accomplished in only a matter of days," Vincent murmured. "Clearly, ShinRa's power to mobilize resources remains uncontested."

While I reluctantly admired the massive destructive capacity of the cannon, I also shuddered over the squat, menacing way it now completely dominated the city's skyline, even more so than the bulky ShinRa Tower. "Wonder how many people they evicted to build the emplacement?"

"At least an entire fucking Sector," Barret said. "Hope they got it bolted down tight, 'cause the fucking recoil could rip up half the Plate."

"_The Weapon has reached the Eastern Continent!_" shrilled an unfamiliar voice.

Cait scratched his ear. "Reeve musta plugged me inta th' ShinRa communications network."

"Sightseein's over, kiddies. We'll drop Vinnie an' the kid off after we've dealt with the big-ass motherfu- er, sorry, Shera."

Barret snickered. "She's gettin' 'im whipped inta shape already!"

As the _Highwind_ sped over the Midgar Plain towards the coast, a myriad of black dots appeared on the horizon. "ShinRa Air Fleet to starboard, on course for Midgar," Cid proclaimed. "Guess they're leavin' the Weapon to us."

"Hey, Vincent – remember when th' Weapon attacked Junon? It didn't go down until th' Sister Ray took its head off."

The gunslinger blinked slowly as he thought about an incident that I must've missed while I was in the Lifestream, then asked, "Where are you going with this, Barret?"

"Cait says they're gonna fire th' Sister Ray soon…."

"At the Northern Crater."

"Yeah, an' th' trajectory is gonna have to be almos' flat t' reach that far, right?"

Vincent nodded. "I do believe you're onto something, Barret."

I figured it out at the same time, and felt like smacking myself for not seeing the potential earlier; I used to be a fairly decent marksman when I served with the Security Department, but apparently I'd forgotten all my old rifle training. Stooping to speak into Cait's chest, I said, "Cid – calculate the co-ordinates that the Sister Ray is gonna have to use to hit the Northern Crater."

"What're you boys up to?"

"Killing two birds with one blast. Reeve, if you can hear me, find a way to let us know when the Sister Ray will fire."

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin', Spiky?"

"That if we can put the Weapon into the line of fire, the Sister Ray'll do the job for us?"

"Atta boy, Spiky!" Barret said proudly; I caught myself blushing at his approval, like I really was his kid brother.

"Bearing 8.3 degrees, north-north-east," Cid said. "Ahoy, there's our target… gotta move the big lug about six degrees to the east."

"We don't have a compass out here – what's that mean in terms of distance?" I requested, watching as we drew closer to the lumbering Weapon and its full size became apparent. "Are they _all_ this big?"

"Oh, yeah – you missed the others, on account you was under the influence," Barret chortled.

Shera broke in. "Cloud - the Weapon has to be moved about six hundred feet to the right."

"Grab onta something, boys – gonna see if the _Highwind _can herd it," Cid exclaimed.

I tucked Cait Sith under my arm and gripped the railing as the deck tilted alarmingly under my boots. We circled the Weapon twice before the _Highwind_ cut sharply in front of it, so close that I could almost reach out and touch the creature's massive arm. Two immensely wide shoulder projections dwarfed its head, its back was protected by a two-piece flared carapace, and it waddled on massive claws.

As we pulled away, the Weapon belched some kind of energy weapon at us, but the sizzling ball missed us by a mile; however, I had the distinct feeling that we wouldn't be so lucky the next time, because its glowing eyes held an uncanny intelligence.

"I'm gonna try ticklin' its toes with my bullets," Barret announced. "That fucking shell's got way too many deflective surfaces."

"I'll go for the head," Vincent said, but he had no sooner drawn a bead when the _Highwind_ went into a climb.

"Seems the fucker can read our minds!" Cid bellowed. "Look – he's headin' the right way!"

Nanaki came on the intercom. "If Sephiroth has confused the Weapons enough to make them think that protecting him is the same as protecting the Planet, this one will either directly attack Midgar to put the Sister Ray out of commission – or failing that, somehow stop the blast from reaching the Northern Crater."

"We're gettin' the hell outta the fucking way, no matter what," Cid declared.

A grating feminine laugh suddenly shrilled out of Cait Sith, and Vincent bared his teeth; some day, I was gonna drag out of him why Scarlet caused such a reaction. "_The Sister Ray is ready, Mr. President. You may fire at any time!_"

The lumbering colossus hastened across the plain before swinging around to face in a southerly direction. Planting its clawed feet, it thrust out its chest; plates parted or swung upwards, including the huge shoulder projections. They opened up like clam shells, revealing dozens of ports, and then the Weapon seemed to be collecting energy out of the very air.

"_Fire._" Rufus' cool drawl made him sound almost bored.

Barret started counting under his breath; about fifteen seconds after Rufus' order, we clearly heard the sound of shattering glass and tearing metal over the intercom. "Tol' ya," the big man grunted. "One helluva recoil!"

"Cap'n – take us higher!" Cait Sith squeaked. "The shockwave from th' Sister Ray's strike is goin' ta be _huge_!"

"Hang onta yer fur, kitty!"

We almost missed the launch of the Weapon's rapid-fire attack because the _Highwind_ was banking in the opposite direction, but the bright cloud of multiple projectiles heading towards the horizon was fairly obvious. I know I was holding my breath to see what would happen – would they collide with the Sister Ray's beam and explode? Our higher altitude allowed us to see the brilliant green-tinted bolt of light streaking from the direction of Midgar… and watch as it passed through the cloud without any noticeable effect.

For a split-second, the Weapon stayed upright as the Sister Ray's beam collided with its chest, then it was lifted into the air as the bolt drilled right through it, before being thrown heavily to the earth as the energy continued its way north. A second after that, the _Highwind_ was tossed around like a leaf in a typhoon by the shockwave; I honestly don't know how Cid kept her in the air, never mind how we didn't lose anyone overboard. My lunch was another matter altogether.

"_Sir! Weapon has been defeated!_" crackled out of Cait Sith as the ShinRa operator passed on the good news just as the _Highwind_ regained her equilibrium. "_The barrier around the Northern Crater has fallen!_" I wondered later if Rufus had time to congratulate himself before the next crisis arrived. "_Sir! A mass of high-density energy is heading towards Midgar!_" In the background, klaxons started wailing… and then the violent sounds of a massive explosion made it all too clear that the ShinRa Tower had taken heavy damage.

"Everyone on deck still there?" Cid asked cautiously.

"Present an' accounted fer," Barret answered gruffly.

"I need a fucking cup of tea," the pilot groused. "Come below."

"Make that a cup o' tea an' a shot o' booze," the big man suggested.

"I'll drink to that," Vincent added, which caused a few double-takes among the rest of us.

We'd barely made it down the stairs to the main deck before we heard a strained-sounding Reeve speaking through the static. "_The reactor output is increasing all by itself._"

"_What? That's __not__ good!_" Scarlet shrieked. "_It needs to cool for three hours between firings! Shut it down!_"

"_Don't you think we've tried? The controls were switched over to mainframe operation, and we can't bypass them. I have people working on it…._"

"_That'll take too long! If the Sister Ray's reactor overloads, it'll make the Sector One explosion look like a damp squib!_"

"_Mr. Heidegger, sir! We have a report that Professor Hojo has locked himself in the Sister Ray's fire-control centre!_"

"_What should we do?_" Heidegger blustered.

"_Whatever it takes to save the city!_" Reeve snapped.

"_Who do you think you are, giving orders?_" Scarlet hissed. "_When the President hears about this…._"

"_Spare me the lecture_," Reeve growled. "_Right now, we have to stop Hojo! Patch me through to the control centre!_"

The static thickened, then suddenly, we could hear Hojo; I know my hackles went up, and I'm willing to bet Vincent's were even more impressive.

There was maniacal cackling, and then the scientist purred, "_Just you wait, Sephiroth – I'll give you all the mako you need!_"

"_Professor Hojo? You must stop at once! Midgar will be destroyed if you continue!_" Reeve was plainly struggling to keep his temper under control.

"_Bah! One or two Midgars is a small price to pay for my most magnificent experiment to come to fruition!_"

"_Your… experiment?_"

"_Sephiroth – my glorious son! He will move beyond the boundaries of science!_"

While Sephiroth's parentage was apparently news to Reeve, the rest of us exchanged tense glances. Barret bellowed in the direction of the cockpit, "Cid! Open the throttles! Professor Crazy-Ass is tryin' ta blow up Midgar!"

"_Who was __that__?_" came Scarlet's sharp voice, and we realized that the channel had become two-way as Cait gripped his crown in both hands and did a panicky little dance.

"We're on our way, Reeve," I said, trying to sound confident. "Can you cut the reactor's fuel supply?"

"_No. Even if we somehow could block the flow of mako to the reactors, we still have to vent the built-up energy in the cannon itself… and I'll bet Hojo has already done something to stop us._"

"Hang tight. We'll be there shortly."

"_You hear that, you two? Cloud Strife and his team are on their way – don't even __think__ of interfering._"

Heidegger and Scarlet's brash chorus set my teeth on edge. "_Allow those terrorists free reign in Midgar? You can't be serious!_" Scarlet chortled.

"_The Security Department will stop Hojo __and__ the terrorists_," Heidegger wheezed. "_I'm taking control of the situation – guards! Take this traitor to the brig!_"

"Go ahead, Heidegger – give it your best shot," I snarled. "But I'm warning you - if Reeve comes to any harm, you'll regret it."

"_Come at me, Strife! I'll enjoy having another crack at you_," he sneered.

"_Heidegger! Let's use my new weapon!_" Scarlet giggled.

"_I'm sorry, everyone_," Reeve whispered.

"Don't apologize. You've done the Planet a tremendous service," I said.

Vincent leaned in. "I will free you," he promised. "The city still needs to be evacuated, despite these idiots and their posturing."

A burst of static and an oath were the last we heard from Reeve. "He'll be okay," Barret said, awkwardly patting Cait's drooping shoulder.

"They _will _regret it if they do him any harm," Vincent rumbled, cracking open his gun for reloading.

"Gitcher asses in here an' tell us what the fuck's goin' on!" Cid demanded. "We've reached Midgar."

"How close can you get us to the Sister Ray?" I asked, crossing the catwalk to where he glowered in the cockpit doorway.

He shifted his unlit cigarette to the other side of his mouth. "Lemme see if I can clear off some o' this fucking aerial congestion first. They're flittin' around like fucking drunken butterflies out there." Stomping over to the radioman, he said, "Open the military communication channels – all of 'em."

"Yes, sir!"

While switches were flipped and dials set, I rejoined Tifa, who hugged me tightly enough to bruise. I kissed the crown of her head and just held her, feeling very much like this was the calm before the storm.

Clearing his throat, Cid paused for a moment, then barked, "Attention all units - the Sister Ray has been hijacked by hostile forces which intend to blow up Midgar. All units stand clear of the Sister Ray so the _Highwind_ can land a tactical assault squad! Repeat, all units stand clear!"

The ether crackled. "_This is Major Kinnock of Mobile Assault Squadron Six. Under whose authority have these orders been issued?_"

Vincent swiftly crossed the floor and took the microphone. "The Department of Administrative Research."

There was a pause. "_The Turks? Yes, sir!_ _All units, fall back!_"

"Tell 'em not to go too far," Cid muttered. "They can make themselves useful evacuatin' civilians."

While Vincent passed on the suggestion, curtly phrased as an order, I beckoned to Nanaki. "Time for a little payback for Professor Hojo."

He bared his teeth in a fangy grin. "I look forward to it."

"I'm coming, too!" Tifa exclaimed, but I shook my head.

"This is between me, Nanaki, Vincent and Hojo. It's personal."

"Scarlet and Heidegger are gunning for you," she protested, clenching her fists. "_I_ have a score to settle with that witch!"

"Some day, you and Vincent are going to tell me _exactly_ why you both hate her so much," I said, then watched Tifa turn several interesting shades of red.

"Okay, boss – the coast is clear! Move fast, before somebody with a scarier reputation than the fucking Turks countermands the order!"

"Can you put us down on the cannon itself?"

"Are you fucking _kiddin_' me, boss? I can land this bird on a gil if I have to!"

"Vincent, Nanaki – you're with me. Yuffie, stand by to assist Vincent with rescuing Reeve."

"What if… you fail?" Tifa whispered.

"We'll _all_ be blown to fucking kingdom come," Cid answered shortly. "That'd be twice in one fucking day, an' I don't fancy it, so make sure you squash this asshole, boss."

"Here – you might need this." Yuffie handed me the case of Phoenix Down; as I shoved it into my pocket, I gave her a tight smile.

Tifa let me kiss her, but it was obvious that later I'd be making up for leaving her behind – again. When I drew back, she was biting her lip, her eyes downcast, and I mentally kicked myself. "It's almost over," I murmured.

"Be _careful_," she pleaded.

"Always." Kissing her fingertips, I held her worried gaze for a moment longer before reluctantly letting go. Retrieving my sword, I slapped it onto my back and turned to the others. "Vincent, Nanaki - let's mosey."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	20. Edge of the Abyss

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; cheerfully returned to Square Enix with messy hair and dazed smirks.

**A/N: **An entire _week_, Original Game? A _week_ before Meteor flattens Midgar? Way to kill the pacing there, Squeenix.

**Warnings: A big ol' lemon is the centerpiece of this chapter, so expect nudity and sexual situations. If you are prone to the vapours or underage, please take evasive action approximately three-quarters of the way through. **Also, coarse language, violence, Limit Break, materia and canon abuse – in other words, the usual nonsense.

Fudging details to bring the narrative in line with the events of _Advent Children_ and _Dirge of Cerberus_.

I forgot to mention Way Back When that I've aged up Marlene to six years old based on the way she acts and speaks; the fact that the game designers designated her as two years younger in the OG strongly suggests that none of them actually _had_ a four-year-old in their immediate vicinity when they wrote the script.

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, and special thanks to my husband for being a _very_ good sport!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Twenty: Edge of the Abyss **

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"We don't have _time_ for this," I growled, glaring up at the towering red mech blocking our path into the Sister Ray's fire-control centre. Inside the incredibly lamely-named Proud Clod's cockpit, I had no doubt Scarlet and Heidegger were cackling and high-fiving each other.

"Agreed, Cloud-san."

Pulling a materia out of my array, I rolled it between my fingers. "I'm gonna Bahamut their asses – get behind me."

"Wait." Astonished, I watched Vincent coolly stride well within the range of the guns mounted inside the mech's knee joints. He glanced over his shoulder and fixed me with a solemn look. "This is for Tifa."

"What the _hell_ are you doing? _Vincent!_" Ramming Zack's sword into the ground, Nanaki and I sheltered behind it as the gunman disappeared in a hail of bursting shells. A second barrage from the other knee joined the first, and then all four of the mech's clawed hands took turns hammering him into the ground and zapping him with wrist-mounted lasers. "_Sweet Shiva_ – Nanaki! Cover me while I haul him outta there!"

Nanaki threw his weight against my legs before I could take a step. "_No_, Cloud-san! We should retreat!"

"_What?_ We can't just leave him... Shiva's _effin'_ icicles!" Whatever the thing was that erupted out of the gunfire, it sure as hell didn't look _anything_ like Vincent. Easily twice his height, its face hidden behind an expressionless mask topping a heavily-armoured body and wielding a massive chainsaw which it proceeded to use with ruthless efficiency on the mech. "Did he... _deliberately_ take that much damage in order to transform?" I gulped.

"All we can do is stay out of Vincent-san's way until he reverts back," Nanaki said, wincing as the chainsaw's teeth briefly stuck, then with a screeching of metal on metal, tore through one of the Proud Clod's joints and literally brought the mech to its knees... which turned out not to be a good thing. Well, more of a mixed blessing, actually. When I realized what the mech was probably doing, I yanked the Buster free, grabbed Nanaki, and scrambled out of range. If we attracted Vincent's attention, it didn't matter, because a moment after that, the Proud Clod fired what certainly appeared to be a Beam Cannon at almost point-blank range. When the dust settled, a red-wrapped bundle lay still on the ground.

"_Bahamut!_"

Nanaki raced in and crouched protectively over Vincent's limp body while the Summon's attack mercilessly pounded the crippled mech into the earth until it spectacularly exploded, scattering the near vicinity with debris, which undoubtedly included pieces of Scarlet and Heidegger. Charging towards Vincent, I pulled out the case of Phoenix Down and extracted one of the bright feathers. Laying it on his chest, I watched it disappear and was ready with a hand up when he opened his eyes.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"Yeah. No offense, Vincent, but that was one ugly bastard," I said, pulling him upright.

"What did it look like?"

After Nanaki briefly described the monster, Vincent nodded. "That must have been the Hell Masker," he said. "You missed Death Gigas while you were on Mideel."

"Okay, Vincent – _spill_. You deliberately went Berserk over a 'matter of honour' – what the _hell_ happened to Tifa while I was out of commission?" I demanded heatedly, imagining all sorts of unpleasant scenarios.

"She deserves the option of telling you herself," he calmly replied. "Or not, as she chooses."

"That _doesn't _help," I groused, experiencing a momentary – and really, _really_ stupid - desire to thump the information out of him.

"Her honour has been avenged," Vincent murmured.

Exasperated, I looked to Nanaki for support, but he just shook his head and continued nosing around the battlefield. "_Fine_," I grumbled petulantly.

"Cloud-san? It appears that you have won a new sword."

I strode over to where he pawed at something among the chunks of mech, hoping I wouldn't step in any oozing bits of Scarlet or Heidegger along the way, and stooped to inspect Nanaki's find. Stowing the Buster Sword on my back, I hefted the gleaming weapon and inspected the unusual x-shaped guard. Squinting at a finely-etched pattern on the black blade, I finally determined that it was the weapon's name. "The Ragnarok?" Selecting a half-dozen of my favourite materia, I inserted them into the multiple slots and tested out a few moves. "Not bad – now, let's try it out on Hojo."

"No quarter, correct?" Nanaki queried as I blew open the armoured gate that the Proud Clod had been defending with a Bolt and we began scaling the stairs towards the fire-control centre, the Sister Ray looming overhead.

"You _really_ have to ask?"

"Just making sure," he replied, clearing a flight in a single bound. "_I _had no intentions of being merciful, but I was not sure if both of you felt the same way."

"For Lucrecia's sake, I would prefer not to strike the death blow," Vincent said. "But if there is no other way, then I will end him."

"Funny that there doesn't seem to be any posted guards," I commented, as we jogged across another landing.

"Perhaps they have abandoned their posts?" Nanaki suggested.

A helicopter gunship whirled overhead, its engines briefly drowning out the background cacophony of sirens coming from the surrounding sectors of the Plate. Searchlights spun, briefly illuminating the murk as they passed; it appeared that the Sister Ray had sucked most of the energy from the reactors ringing the city, because much of the normally brightly-lit Upper Plate was plunged into darkness.

Cid had done his best to drop us off as close to the cannon as possible, once it became clear that the fire-control centre was located in an inconvenient – for us – spot right under the barrel, but then we'd realized that the entire emplacement was surrounded by high walls topped with razor wire. The _Highwind_ was too big to fit in between the cannon and the surrounding buildings, so we took a risk and slid down the ropes to a street running alongside one of the walls, hoping to find an access point. After hoofing it around two sides of the emplacement while looking for a gate, we ran into the Proud Clod and its pilots.

As we scaled another set of stairs, I pulled out my PHS and waited impatiently until Cait chirped, "Hallo, laddie! How's it goin'?"

"Working our way up to the fire-control centre – have you heard from Reeve?"

"As a matter o' fact we 'ave, laddie. Th' Turks 'ave recognized 'im as poobah-in-chief, an' the first thing 'e did was call off the gunships that were eyein' up the' _Highwind _an' put 'em to work organizin' evacuation points. They're located in Sectors Two an' Five, both on th' Upper Plate an' down inna Slums – they 'ad to blow open sections o' th' wall first."

"Where's Reeve located now?"

"Level 62, ShinRa Tower. 'E's taken over th' mayor's office."

"Tell him to stay put until Vincent and Yuffie reach him."

"A-okay, laddie!"

"_Hojo_," Nanaki growled as we cleared the last flight of stairs; at the opposite end of an open catwalk lined with piping and cables, we could see a white-coated figure working away at a large bank of computer terminals.

"Too bad you don't want to take him out yourself," I griped to Vincent. "You could pick him off from here with your gun, and save us a load of trouble." Yes, I was still somewhat pissed that he wouldn't clear up the mystery regarding Tifa and Scarlet. Yes, I was being childish, but something had happened to Tifa, _dammit_, and I wasn't there to prevent it.

Vincent merely looked contemplative. "It isn't too late to call down an airstrike…."

"We're here, so might as well do the job. Besides, the chances of us being part of the collateral damage from a missile attack are pretty high." As we crossed the catwalk, I raised my voice. "Time's up, Hojo."

He didn't even turn around. "Not the failure again."

"You know my name, asshole," I ground out. "I'm only gonna ask you once - step away from the console."

"The sight of you makes me sick, Strife. You were supposed to be a failed Clone – _how_ did you manage to survive, never mind succeed? There's no _rational_ explanation for either!"

"Due to my good looks and charm, obviously."

"You have committed many sins, Hojo, but refuse to atone for them," Vincent said, fingering his gun. For a wild moment, I thought he was going to shoot the bastard, but true to his word, he didn't draw the weapon. "_You_ should have been the one sleeping in the coffin, not me."

"Power is at eighty-three percent - it's taking too long," Hojo grumbled. "Wait just a little longer, my arrogant, glorious, condescending son."

"Why are you helping Sephiroth to destroy the Planet? You'll die like the rest of us if he succeeds."

"What father will not assist his child?"

It was at that point we all realized that Hojo was as batshit insane as Sephiroth. "I see he inherited only the _best_ of his father's traits," I muttered. "Who wants to take the first swing?"

Hojo turned around and took several steps away from the console; there was a mad light in his eyes. "I have made myself into a superior being as well," he leered. "I injected myself with Jenova cells – here are my results!"

While Hojo twisted and twitched as if performing some kind of weird dance, a pair of monsters sprang into existence on either side of him. They were both green and sported multiple tentacles, but weren't terribly impressive-looking. Vincent cast a sleeping spell, knocking out both of them and allowing us to concentrate on Hojo. Nanaki and I took turns hammering him with sword and fang while Vincent cast spells to keep the monsters down for the count. It seemed almost too easy… which should've been our first clue that things were gonna get uglier.

"Holy Gaea," Nanaki breathed, which is the closest I've ever heard him come to cussing as Hojo morphed into one of the most hideously deformed creatures I've ever faced – and that's saying something, considering the chunks of Jenova we'd fought. It waved its appendages – I hesitated to call them 'arms' – and before we could organize an attack, we were hit with a massive dose of poisonous gas. Forced out of range, we smeared at watering eyes and downed restorative potions until we could see and breathe again… only to have a Pile Banger thrown at us.

"_Incoming!_" We were already retreating to the landing when the device disappeared through the hole it bored in the catwalk's metal cladding. The attached bomb exploded a second later, and I quickly discovered that the Ragnarok didn't offer quite as much protection from flying shrapnel as the Buster; Nanaki and I were both striped bloody by the time the dust settled. Catching our breath, we traded doses of Cure while looking for Vincent.

He popped out from behind one of the cannon's massive steel support columns and coolly directed, "Target its arms," then laid down a magic barrier. Without any hesitation, Nanaki hurtled in, launching himself at the left appendage while I went after the right. The Ragnarok seemed designed specifically for this opponent, slicing through the monster's rubbery flesh like a hot knife through butter. Gouts of steaming liquid spurted out of the stump, but it wasn't any colour of blood that I recognized.

"_Nanaki!_"

Vincent snatched our comrade out of mid-air as Hojo flung him away; the monster's arm was hanging by a shred of tissue, so I sliced it off before bouncing out of range in case it regenerated or something – I didn't put anything past Hojo, not with Jenova cells in his system. "You okay?" I demanded of Nanaki, who was vigorously shaking himself.

"Yes, Cloud-san. I unfortunately lost my grip," he replied as I Cured him.

"We need to finish off this asshole more quickly – any suggestions?"

Casting another barrier to give us a breather, Vincent produced a materia out of his array and tossed it to Nanaki. "Summon the Phoenix, and then Cloud can take him out."

"Worth a try – ready, Nanaki?"

The flames of the Phoenix were still crackling when my ClimHazzard carved through Hojo's distorted body. We only had a split-second's satisfaction of watching Hojo disappear... until he re-formed into a strange, robotic drone-like thing that hit Vincent with a spell that rendered him mute and immediately started kicking our asses while the gunman was unable to verbally cast a protective barrier.

"_Shit!_" Something in Hojo's attack slowed my reactions, so I couldn't escape, never mind defend myself while he beat the crap out of me with impunity. The only good thing about taking that much damage was being able to channel my frustration into fury. As soon as the slow-down wore off, I whirled my sword and discovered that I had a new trick in my arsenal. "_Final Touch!_"

"The tornado is as impressive as the damage it deals, Cloud-san," Nanaki commented a few moments later while the debris was still raining down. "However, our enemy is unfortunately impervious to the more deadly aspects."

"_Dammit._" Nanaki got out of the way, but I didn't quite dodge the next attack Robo-Hojo aimed our way, and it again included the maddening slowness, leaving me at the mercy of whatever was in those evil-looking hypodermic needles.

As Hojo's arms stabbed downward, Nanaki shouted, "_Cloud-san_!"

Cure's healing energy crackling over my skin, I managed to roll out of the way of Hojo's snaking arms and yelled, "Keep hitting him with everything you've got!"

Nanaki let go with an Earth Rave before succumbing in his turn to the paralytic spell; I dragged him out of range and found enough energy for another Final Touch, but before I could let loose, Vincent shook off his temporary muteness and nailed Hojo with a spell that literally sucked away our opponent's ability to use magic against us.

However, just as the draining spell took effect, the drone fired off an attack that immediately altered the course of the battle. Vincent's transformation this time was pure nightmare-fuel, even more than the last one; I'll be seeing that winged demonic creature for years to come. Nanaki and I scuttled clear, and then retreated all the way back to the landing when the platform distorted under the thing that used to be Hojo and became a massive fanged skull. As vaporous red-tinged balls of energy streamed out of the skull's mouth, the demon sprang into the air, hovered a split-second, then dove onto the drone. There was an incredible explosion, and when the dust cleared, Hojo was still standing – barely.

Nanaki snarled, "For all of those who have suffered at this monster's hands, let us finish this."

"Right with ya."

Nanaki literally went for the throat; while he yanked the faltering drone off-balance, I chopped off the hypodermic needles in the tips of the sinuous arms before they could strike, then repeatedly hacked Hojo's metal sheathing until it cracked. His arms whipped around my neck and tried to throttle me, but couldn't get a good lock because of the hilt of the Buster Sword projecting above my shoulder. Between the two of us, Nanaki and I brought the drone to earth and I spiked Hojo to the computer console with the Ragnarok. As sparks flew around his spasming body, he laughed maniacally before shuddering into silence.

"Well done, Cloud-san." Nanaki shook his tinkling mane back into place.

"Not so bad yourself," I replied, wiping my face with a shaking hand before we took turns Curing each other.

Cautiously approaching Hojo's body, because madmen often have a nasty fail-safe up their sleeve, I studied the switches. "Of course the 'off' button isn't clearly marked... _Shiva_! Does that gauge say ninety percent?"

Nanaki reared up on his hind legs and inspected the array of blinking lights. "This is when Reeve-san would be useful."

"You're a genius," I said, pulling out my PHS. As soon as Cait answered, I barked, "Patch me through to Reeve."

"Is Hojo dead, laddie?"

"Thoroughly."

"_Good work_," Reeve replied.

"Never mind that - how do we shut this thing down?"

"_It's a two-part process. First, find the cable that's powering the transfer of mako energy to the cannon. It's on the end of the console_."

That was easy enough, although it took both Nanaki and me pulling with all of our strength to dislodge the huge plug from the socket. Unscrewing the bolts that locked it in place _first _might have helped. The switch that had to be thrown in order to vent the energy already collected in the cannon was another matter; after several tense minutes, during which the gauge kept slowly filling, we finally identified it. After we turned it off, we both nearly jumped out of our skins when up overhead on the Sister Ray's barrel, the huge numbered paddles began wildly spinning and flapping, then folded downwards with loud crashes. The other routing switches also faltered, and then fell; a few moments later, the lights of Midgar noticeably brightened as power was rerouted back into the electrical grid.

"It is done," Nanaki sighed, before frantically racing around the platform, his nose in the air.

"What's wrong?"

"Vincent-san!"

"Oh, _crap_. He could be _anywhere_ – even another Sector." Activating the PHS, I asked, "Cid! Can you see Vincent?"

"Ya lost Vinnie?" the pilot asked incredulously.

"Not exactly. He was hit by an explosion while transformed, so if we're lucky, he was knocked out and is having a little nap somewhere. If we're not, there's a Berserk winged gargoyle flapping around attacking things."

"Jus' a sec, boss - the kid's screeching an' hollerin' 'bout something. Caity-cat, go on deck an' see what's up her tail."

A minute or so later, we clearly heard Yuffie yell, "Vincent's unconscious – he's on the Sister Ray's barrel! How'd he get up _there_?"

"He flew," I replied. It was true; the fact he wasn't in control of the means of propulsion was immaterial. "He's back to normal, I take it?"

"Did he transform again?"

"Twice in the last fifteen minutes."

"_Twice!_" Yuffie yelped. "You have enough Phoenix Down, right?"

"Yep. Just have to climb up there to administer it." I assessed the dizzying height of the precarious-looking network of ladders that we'd have to scale to reach the cannon's barrel and wished for a pair of wings. "Keep an eye on him... we're on our way. It'll take a few."

"'ang on, Cloud – might 'ave a solution," Cait interjected. Static crackled, and then he cheerily said, "Gotta chopper comin' in ta pick ye up."

"A chopper?"

"Courtesy o' the Turks!"

Nanaki and I exchanged doubtful glances, and then he also inspected the distance between us and our goal. "If time was not of the essence, I would prefer to climb."

"You and me both." Stowing the PHS in my pocket, I turned to contemplate Hojo's body. In death, he'd fully reverted to human form. The bastard's mouth was twisted in a smirk, blood trickling down his chin. His eyes were half-open; it was probably a trick of the light distorted by his thick glasses, but it seemed like he blinked. If the Ragnarok wasn't sticking out of his chest like the proverbial stake, I would've sworn that the monster still had a spark of life. I briefly considered leaving the sword where it was, then decided that I didn't want to waste a perfectly good weapon on a corpse. Moving quickly, I placed my boot against Hojo's shoulder and yanked the Ragnarok free, then wiped it on his trousers. "Rest in peace, asshole," I muttered.

The _thunk-thunk-thunk_ of a helicopter interrupted my thoughts; looking up, I watched a ShinRa gunship descend until it hovered slightly above the platform's railing. Its rotors were clearing the adjacent building by a matter of inches – I had to admire the pilot's skills. The side door rolled open, and a sour-faced Elena waved us over. She recoiled when Nanaki leapt straight inside, and was eyeing him unhappily when I swung in a moment later.

"Don't frown like that – you'll get wrinkles, and then you'll scare Tseng when he sees you again," I cheeked.

She scowled, then brightened. "I _have_ seen him." In response to my sardonic look, she shuffled her feet and mumbled, "I apologize for accusing you of injuring him."

"Thank you." Peering into the open cockpit, I could see Rude at the controls; he had an impressive scrape on the back of his shaved head, probably from when he hit the catwalk outside the Rocket earlier in the day. "Must be tough for you guys to be working with us."

"Turks always get the job done," she shrugged, looking out the open door.

I toyed with asking her about Rufus, but figured since the Turks had already turned over power to Reeve, the Shinra family's decades-long control over the Planet had more than likely ended.

"Here you go."

"Thanks for the lift." Tossing her a casual salute, I waited until the chopper's skid scraped on the Sister Ray's barrel before jumping out of the door. Nanaki followed, and we hustled across to where Vincent was draped over one of the huge trunnions that locked the cannon into its emplacement. He was indeed back to his normal appearance; his cloak looked a little more tattered than usual, but at least it _was_ a cloak and not a pair of wings. I repeated the Phoenix Down treatment, and as soon as he regained consciousness and sat up, I demanded, "What _was_ that?" He blinked at me, so I elaborated, "Purple-grey demon-thing with big red bat-wings."

"Chaos," he immediately replied while carefully stretching. He undoubtedly landed _very_ hard, so I cast Cure while he was talking. "The most powerful of the monsters Hojo implanted in my body."

Nanaki flicked his ears. "Remind me to tell Barret-san that _none_ of them are particularly good-looking."

"Eh?"

Ignoring both of them, I pressed the call button on the PHS. "We're ready for pick up."

"Right-o, laddie!"

A minute or so later, the _Highwind_ swept up the length of the cannon towards us, and a rope ladder rapidly unfurled over the side. I wondered how Nanaki was expected to make the ascent when the ladder was followed by what appeared to be a hammock tied together by its ends and suspended on a thick cable. He wormed his way into the canvas cocoon and gave a sharp bark; the cable tightened, and he was speedily hauled upwards. Vincent was already half-way up the rope ladder by the time I figured out how to carry the Ragnarok and the Buster Sword while leaving my hands free to climb. Shoving the blade through the front of my harness, I started after him, but the crew made it much easier by winching me the rest of the way.

Tifa was on deck to greet me, but the spiky bits on the Ragnarok's blade guard certainly deterred a welcoming embrace; instead, I gave it to her to hold, and then kissed her. "Scarlet's dead and therefore your honour is restored, according to Vincent," I murmured in her ear. I decided against telling her exactly _how_ the gunman had gone about it.

"I didn't wish her _dead_," Tifa whispered, appearing perturbed, which only confused me further.

"You… didn't?"

"I _did_ want to punch her out again, once I returned to normal, but that's all."

"So... this is something that happened while you were a guy?" She flushed and ducked her head. Catching hold of her chin, I tilted up her face and kissed her again. "It's okay – tell me when you're ready. I can wait."

Biting her lip, she studied my expression. "You're upset."

"Only because something happened to you and I wasn't there to stop it."

"I don't think _anyone_ could've stopped her, short of a Weapon. Too bad it showed up several minutes too late." Sighing, Tifa squared her shoulders. "ShinRa was going to execute Barret and me..."

"_What?_"

She shook her head and I forced myself to settle down. "Rufus wanted a scapegoat for Meteor and we were available. Scarlet was running the show – literally, as it was a live broadcast – and after I was strapped into the chair inside the gas chamber, she dismissed the guards, turned off the camera and... and..."

Shoving the Ragnarok out of the way, I pulled her close. Memories of being in Hojo's lab, tied down and helpless while horrible things were done to me, flooded through my brain and I unconsciously tightened my arms until Tifa squeaked a protest. "_I'm_ not sorry that she's dead," I muttered as I loosened my grip.

"I gave her a black eye just before we escaped."

"I still don't quite understand – why was Vincent the one gunning for her, and not Barret?"

"Because Vincent was disguised as one of the guards, and after she kicked both of them out of the gas chamber, the other guard told him what Scarlet was doing. Apparently she was well-known for molesting personnel." Leaning closer, Tifa added, "Barret still has no idea, so don't tell him."

"This is as far as it goes," I replied, but part of me was still raging at what had happened.

Fortuitously, Yuffie interrupted at that moment and diverted my attention from murderous thoughts. "Um, I guess this is goodbye..."

"Just for a little while," Tifa said firmly, wriggling free and giving me the Ragnarok before squishing the teen in a warm hug. Yuffie didn't say anything, just clung to Tifa.

Putting aside my anger, I patted Yuffie's shoulder. "I'm counting on you to keep Vincent outta trouble and the Turks in line until we get back. Think you can handle that?"

Letting go of Tifa, Yuffie tackled me. "Be _careful_," she implored, burying her face in my chest. Her voice was very small and quavering, and I was again reminded that she was a child fighting an adult's war.

Gently scruffing her hair, I whispered, "We're all coming home."

When Yuffie finally let go, her eyes were wet; furiously scrubbing at them with her hands, she dug in her pockets and produced several materia. Passing the glowing orbs to Tifa, she said, "You guys will need these more than I do."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm with Vincent; I'll be all right." Stepping back, Yuffie tried to be brave, but her lip was trembling. "S-see you s-soon?"

"Victory party's tomorrow afternoon," I answered confidently, then raised my voice. "Vincent – look after our girl."

The gunman appeared mildly offended that I appeared to be questioning his abilities, but then he saw the teen's stricken expression. Putting his arm around her slender shoulders, he inclined his head. The ShinRa Tower loomed, and we all fell silent as we had our first good look at its violently truncated height. There was _no_ possible way that Rufus could've survived, if he was in his top-floor office when the Weapon's attack struck. Lucky for him it was a quick death, because _I_ would be inflicting something much slower and far more painful for ordering Tifa and Barret's execution.

"I need to say goodbye to Nanaki." Slipping free, Yuffie started across the deck to where the leonine warrior was discussing the sling with several crewmen; he immediately broke off and met the teen half-way. She knelt and put her arms around his neck, while Nanaki sat down on his haunches and awkwardly wrapped his front leg around her. They stayed like that for several minutes, Nanaki rumbling quietly.

I shook Vincent's hand. "Good luck."

He cast a glance up at Meteor. "Likewise." Wiping her eyes, Yuffie stumbled to his side; he delicately lifted a teardrop from her cheek with a gloved fingertip. "Level 62, was it?" Scooping the teen up in his arms, Vincent dove over the side. Rushing to the railing, we saw a flutter of red disappearing inside a broken window just above the illuminated offices that Reeve was now occupying.

Tifa shook her head. "Honestly - he didn't need to be so dramatic!"

"Maybe he wanted Yuffie to squeeze him as tightly as she did Nanaki," I joked. Tifa shot me a dry look, then appeared to give it a second thought. "I'm _kidding_."

"You may be more right than you know."

Despite having witnessed more than a few examples of the gunman's regard for the teen, I teased, "Oh, come _on_! He's _way_ too old and gloomy for her!"

"She'll protect him from the darkness," Tifa said. "Vincent has relaxed quite a bit since he joined us."

"_I _think you're a hopeless romantic."

Her soft smile made my heart do a couple of giddy loops. "Yes, I am."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Vinnie an' the kid make it over to the Tower all right?"

Nanaki padded over to the console where Shera kept an eye on the _Highwind_'s internal workings and seated himself. As she obligingly began scratching his ears, he said, "The transfer was successful."

I couldn't help asking, "Nanaki, are you okay with not seeing your Gramps before...?"

"He is with me in spirit," he gravely replied. "I know _exactly_ what I am fighting for. Now, my friends – onward to the Northern Crater."

"Takin' a small detour on the way" Cid announced.

"Detour?"

The pilot winked at Barret. "Stoppin' at Kalm t'pick up a special guest."

Tifa clapped her hands. "Marlene?"

A huge sunny grin lit up the big man's craggy face. "Yep! My little girl's comin' on board!"

Her smile fading, Tifa added quietly, "And Mrs. Gainsborough?"

Barret nodded, his expression turning solemn. "If'n she wants ta come along. We hafta break the missy's death to 'er real gentle-like. Poor woman's lost ev'rythin'."

Cait Sith spoke up. "Who's gonna fetch 'em?"

Tifa and I shared a speaking glance. "We will."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"_Daddy!_"

Marlene's happy squeal when I boosted her over the railing and into Barret's arms was one of the best things I'd heard in days, and the look of utter contentment on the big man's face as he cuddled the little girl close was easily the most satisfying.

Tifa sharply prodded my leg from her position below me on the rope ladder. "Hurry! Mrs. Gainsborough will need help getting out of that thing."

"The crew can handle it – Nanaki gave them some feedback earlier today to improve the design." Despite that, Tifa immediately went to Elmyra's aid once we were on deck; I had to admit that the woman appeared slightly wild-eyed from her rapid ascent in the repurposed hammock. The crew had added a short piece of metal piping to the original configuration, so that the hammock no longer closed up like a drawstring bag. Instead, the piece of metal held the so-called 'bosun's chair' open for greater comfort, but the experience was obviously almost too much for Elmyra. Clutching an overstuffed bag in both hands after she was extracted from the hammock, she nervously looked around – until she caught sight of Barret and Marlene, and positively beamed.

Tifa introduced the crew, then escorted Elmyra to the staircase. She winked at me as she ushered the older woman into the airship proper, no doubt intending to complete the introductions in the cockpit; I hoped Cid employed his new-found manners. Since Shera's arrival on board this morning, the amount of profanity lacing his conversation had noticeably declined, as had the number of cigarettes he smoked. A few of us really appreciated the changes – and now with Marlene on board, hopefully they'd continue.

"C'mon, princess – time ta meet ev'rybody."

"_Awesome!_" The little girl's eyes sparkled with excitement, and I couldn't help but smile. Sure, my feud with Sephiroth was personal, and maybe by killing him I'd find some closure, but Marlene embodied everything that was at stake – the future of the Planet itself.

Elmyra had taken the news of Aerith's death with stoic acceptance; however, Marlene had burst into tears and soothing her had occupied Tifa for some time, during which Elmyra calmly pressed me for details. When I'd offered her the chance to join us on board the _Highwind_ for the upcoming battle, she'd agreed without hesitation. "Aerith gave her life to save the Planet... I want to be there when you fulfill her prayer."

"It might get rough," I warned. "There's no guarantee that I'll succeed."

"Mr. Strife, believe in yourself. Aerith did." With that, she whisked off to collect their few belongings in the narrow half-timbered house that Reeve had provided for them – a house full of flowers. They bloomed riotously in a rag-tag collection of pots, vases and baskets on every windowsill and tabletop in every room, and I couldn't help but think that Aerith was somehow involved. The pink ribbon now adorning Marlene's hair was a definite reminder of our lost mage, and like Aerith, the little girl's cheerful attitude certainly livened the atmosphere as she helped Elmyra to pack up. Shouldering one of the bags, I offered Elmyra my arm, and Marlene held tightly to Tifa's hand as we made our way down the cobbled street to Kalm's main square, above which hovered the _Highwind_.

Elmyra had paled at the sight of the huge airship, but resolutely walked forward and allowed herself to be tucked into the makeshift bosun's chair. Marlene insisted on climbing the rope ladder 'all by herself', but I was close behind in case of a slip; Barret would never forgive me if something happened to her. Facing Sephiroth without a sword would _almost_ be preferable.

"Cloud?" Tifa beckoned from the door leading down into the ship, and I obeyed. There were preparations to be made – sword sharpening, materia and armour sorted, potions packed. If I was lucky, a few hours of sleep, and then... Sephiroth.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Elmyra's presence was immediately felt on board the _Highwind_ as we sped north into the gathering dusk. Between her and Tifa, they'd produced a hot meal in the tiny but well-equipped galley, and then insisted that we sit down to eat around the table in the Operations Room. "Like a proper family," Elmyra had said with quiet satisfaction.

Marlene's bright chatter dispelled any gloom; she'd quickly laid claim to both Cait and Nanaki as her personal entourage, charmed Cid and Shera plus the entire crew, and made a point of hugging Tifa every time she scampered past us. Tifa whispered something in Marlene's ear on one of her affectionate fly-bys; the little girl nodded enthusiastically before pouncing on me. I was startled, but Marlene held on until I returned the hug, and after that, she made a point of including me in her random acts of fondness.

Looking around the table at the faces of the people who mattered the most to me, I wished for many, many more meals like this. It reminded me of the camaraderie when I was in the army, especially after the Modeoheim mission when Zack would show up in the enlisted mess. He claimed both the company and the grub were better than up in the SOLDIER mess - although I highly doubted the latter was true.

Afterwards, I slipped away from the hubbub and went up on deck; leaning on the railing, I stared towards the northern horizon. Invisible at this distance but easily visualized in my imagination, the snow-covered ramparts of the Northern Crater reared towards the sky beyond the distant mountain peaks. A vast, icy fortress protecting the festering madness within, and nesting beneath the Crater's floor, eating away at the Planet like a malevolent growth, was Sephiroth.

"Zack, I really wish you were here," I muttered. "I could use one of your pep-talks about now."

Fear curled around my heart anyways – but it was more akin to despair. If I had my way, Cid would drop me off and take the rest of the team to a safe distance, but I already knew that wasn't going to fly with anybody, particularly Tifa. Her stubborn insistence on staying at my side, no matter the danger, was both a source of strength and terror. Sephiroth would target her – _all_ of them – in order to win. How the hell could I keep them safe _and_ beat him?

I swear I felt the weight of the Planet descend onto my shoulders. If I failed, we'd die several hours before Meteor wiped out the rest of the Planet. Giving my head a shake, I tried to clear my mind; if I started thinking like a loser, I'd _definitely_ be one. Hadn't Barret given me hell about that awhile back? A shuffling sound pulled my thoughts back from the edge of the abyss, and I turned to see Tifa emerging from the stairwell with two steaming mugs in her hands. Joining me at the railing, she smiled as she passed over one of the hot drinks; the bright scent of mint filled my nose as the heated mug warmed my cold fingers.

I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she sipped the fragrant tea. Tifa was wearing my favourite sweater, the one that made her bosom resemble a pair of ripe Luchile nuts. The garment was zipped all the way up against the chill, and I wished for my cowl to help keep her warm, but it had disappeared somewhere along the way, probably in the Lifestream or on Mideel. However, her legs were bare beneath her short dark skirt; she was going to catch her death of cold, as my mother used to say.

Needing to touch her, I slid my arm around Tifa's hips and tugged her closer; she came willingly and made herself comfortable in my embrace. We remained in contented silence together, drinking our tea while looking out over the landscape. Meteor was far to the south of us, but its glow turned the distant snowfields a pale peach and creating an attractive contrast to the spangled indigo sky.

Tifa rested her arm on top of mine, her fingertips stroking my skin. "D'you think the Planet knows how hard we're fighting to save it?" she asked in a low voice.

"Aerith and Zack do. That's good enough for me."

Tilting back her head against my chest, she inspected the night sky. "Did the stars look the same in outer space?"

"Yep." I swallowed the last mouthful of tea and wrapped my other arm around her. Resting my chin on her shoulder as I cuddled her tight, I added, "They didn't impress me as much as the Planet, though."

"How so?"

"It looked so fragile – really reinforced that there's no Plan B."

Turning to face me, Tifa worked her arms under mine and hugged fiercely. "Don't take all the weight of this on yourself," she murmured. "We're _all_ with you, Cloud. Share the weight – share the responsibility."

"If I fail..."

"There won't be anyone left to assign blame."

"Accurate... but _ouch_," I winced.

Kissing away my grimace, Tifa sweetly enticed me into thinking about other things; her mouth tasted like mint. This moment, with her, embodied everything I'd _ever_ wanted. _Dammit_, I _deserved_ a chance at a future with her, and there was only one way to secure it – go through Sephiroth. As I poured all my hopes and fears into the contact between our lips, Tifa responded with equal passion, moulding her body to mine; we were both rather breathless when we came up for air. Her darkened eyes were luminous in the starlight, and after another deeply intimate kiss, she murmured, "C'mon."

Taking my hand in hers, she led me towards the stairwell. I took a last look at the starry horizon before following her into the bowels of the ship. First stop was the galley, where we ditched our mugs, and then she ducked into the toilet while I waited and thought about nothing in particular. When she emerged, I followed her into C Watch's cabin where we found Marlene already tucked into a hammock with Cait Sith playing the part of a teddy bear. Barret and Elmyra were sitting on crates nearby, sharing tea and quiet conversation with Shera and Nanaki. While Tifa retrieved her knapsack and stooped to kiss Marlene, Barret gave me a significant look, as if assigning me an important mission. I saluted, and he gravely nodded.

"Where are we going?" I asked, once we were back outside the Crew's Quarters.

"You kids have fun!" Cid bellowed. Cackling at the expressions on our faces as he waved his mug, he said, "Mind you don't stay up all night! Reveille's at 0400, sharp."

"We'll be ready." Tifa tugged me around the perimeter of the deck, past the Operations Room, towards the Chocobo Stable. Cid watched from his vantage point in the cockpit doorway; when I shot him a questioning look, he smirked broadly and mimed a rather explicit gesture that I hadn't seen since the army – then chortled at my blush.

"Does _everyone_ know what we're doing?" I demanded as soon as the Stable door closed behind us.

"Marlene doesn't."

"I would _hope_ not."

"Does... it bother you?" Tifa was biting her lip, and I belatedly realized that I was about to put a spanner into my own works if I wasn't careful.

"No... yes... maybe a little. I'll get over it."

"At least Shera made Cid promise to _not_ put ground Pepio nuts in our sheets."

"We have sheets? Like on a real bed?" Looking around the dimly-lit Stable, all I could see was a large pile of hay in the farthest stall, directly under one of the shielded lights.

"The sheets are from the Infirmary, and, um, I hope you don't have grass allergies."

"So... we're going to have a roll in the hay?" I grinned, a nervous laugh tickling the back of my throat.

She was twisting the straps of the knapsack almost to the tearing point, but managed to tentatively reply, "Um, yes?"

Stepping close, I tenderly kissed her on the mouth. "Thank you."

Tifa blushed brightly, but allowed me to usher her across the room. While she put down the knapsack, I sat down and flopped backwards into the sweet-smelling hay. However, when I held my arms out to her, she shook her head. "Sheets, remember?"

"Isn't this more, er, romantic?"

"Being prickled every time we move isn't. Don't you remember when our classes went up to Mr. Thomas' barn to see the baby Chocobo chicks? We were allowed to play in the hayloft afterwards."

Folding my hands behind my head, I had to think for a moment, but eventually recalled a golden summer day, the hazy light slanting through cracks and the thick air inside the hayloft redolent of sun-warmed grass. We boys had spent the time daring each other to climb the ladder to the upper loft and jump off into the hay below; come to think of it, the girls had all rapidly bailed so there was no one to show off for. "I remember... why _did_ you girls take off?"

"The straw was _murder_ on bare legs. Besides, there was a hutch full of baby bunnies to cuddle."

"Boys must be tougher," I suggested.

"Or sillier," she retorted, pulling me upright. "I remember your legs and arms were striped with cuts for days afterwards. Oh, look – your arms are already scratched."

"Okay, so _naked_ rolls in the hay aren't a great idea..."

"Would you prefer if we kept our clothes on?"

"No. _Definitely_ not. No flannel pyjamas, either." The heavy wool blanket she tossed nearly knocked me back onto the hay, but I caught both it and myself in time. She helped me spread it over the rustling pallet, followed by several more layers that included a pair of sheets and a cheerful quilt that _must_ have come out of Elmyra's luggage, and our bed was ready.

_Our_ bed. I really liked the sound of that.

Tifa sat down on the side of the pallet and began untying her bootlaces. Seating myself next to her, I followed suit. Stealing sideways glances at her as I worked, I noticed her cheeks turning pink as she methodically shucked her boots and tucked her socks inside. She pulled off her gloves, unbuckled her elbow guard and then peeled out of her arm protectors, all without looking at me.

Bumping her shoulder with mine, I waited until she shyly peeked at me through her bangs, then leaned in and kissed her. Tucking her hair behind her ear, I lightly rested my hand on the curve of her neck and kept kissing her until some of her tension dissolved, then offered her my gauntlet. She shifted closer and pulled my arm across her lap, then set to work on the buckles while I nuzzled her forehead and boldly nibbled her earlobe. _That_ made her jump and titter softly, but didn't distract her from the task at hand. Once I was freed, I unwrapped the binding I habitually wore around my forearm, while Tifa took off the sweater and neatly folded it, revealing her white tank top.

Tugging lightly on my harness, she silently asked if I wanted assistance, and I eagerly complied; it was a huge turn-on to be undressed by her. I contemplated the ShinRa logo on the attached belt for a moment before dropping the harness and pauldron next to my boots. Tifa was about to let down her suspenders, but I caught hold of the skinny straps and slowly guided them off her shoulders and down her slender arms, brushing her skin with the backs of my fingers and raising goose-bumps.

She next opened the buckles on my belts one after the other and then sat back, leaving open access to her buckle. It appeared that we were engaged in a game of give-and-take in order to get naked, and I happily played along. Reaching for the buckle, I kissed her again as I released the catch; her hands landed on my shoulders, and we were sidetracked for a few delicious moments, until she tugged my sweater out of my trousers. I reluctantly leaned back and raised my arms, allowing her to pull it over my head and off, but didn't mind when Tifa started kissing the scars on my chest.

It was as if she was claiming them – and me – as hers alone, and when she ran her tongue down the mark left by the Masamune, I shivered with pleasure. When she finally kissed her way back up to my lips, I circled her waist with my hands before slowly sliding them upward, until I brushed the undersides of her breasts with my thumbs.

Tifa pulled back, her eyes demurely downcast and her cheeks stained deep rose, before she took hold of the hem of her tank top. I held my breath as she slowly raised the worn material, revealing the velvety curves that I'd last seen in their full glory months ago, after barely surviving a Midgar Zolom. Sure, she'd pressed them up against me a few times since, like last night, but it was somehow different to actually _see_ them – and to know that tonight I was allowed to touch them along with the rest of this beautiful woman.

If I could only get my hands to stop trembling and my heart to quit erratically banging around inside my rib cage, because I'm fairly sure that passing out _before _the act wouldn't be a good idea.

Carefully folding and refolding the tank into a teeny, tiny square of fabric, Tifa seemed unable to look up. No wonder, considering that I was ogling her bare breasts with all the subtlety of a hungry Nibel wolf. Attempting to show appreciation of her trust in sharing this experience with me, I didn't follow my libido's insistence on going straight for the obvious erogenous zone and instead enfolded her in my arms and tenderly kissed her. She relaxed; I congratulated myself for reducing her stress… and hopefully increasing her interest in the erection straining my fly buttons.

Tifa shivered lightly as we kissed, but it was a few minutes before I realized that it wasn't completely from either nervous tension or arousal. I was almost too warm, but I still had my trousers on and enough mako in my bloodstream to counteract anything short of a sustained stint on the Great Glacier. Tifa, on the other hand, was wearing only the tiniest scraps of clothing and while I was doing my best to increase her heart rate, she needed more warmth. Hooking my finger into the waistband of her skirt, beneath her loosened belt, I tugged gently downward.

She immediately caught my drift and allowed me to help her out of the skirt, sliding the garment down the length of her legs and off. I pulled back the quilt and she slipped between the sheets; after some suggestive squirming, her panties joined the rest of her clothing, and it forcibly struck me that I was about to lie down with a totally, terrifyingly, wonderfully, _absolutely_ naked Tifa.

I felt light-headed again.

Struggling with my fly buttons, my fingers gone numb, I was struck speechless when Tifa sat up again, the blankets falling away to her waist… but not for the obvious reasons. Stashing the tattered blue ribbon in one of her boots, she shook out her hair, and that simple act crystallized everything for me. When she lay back down, silky black streamers curled loosely over the bedding and across the rustling straw, emphasizing that she was completely 'undone'.

If only my fingers would co-operate with my trouser buttons.

Making a determined effort, I managed to pop the first three when I heard a muffled giggle followed by a hummed refrain. Shooting her a quick glance while I continued to wrestle with the infernal fasteners, I ended up being distracted _again_. Tifa peeked over the edge of the quilt, her vivid eyes full of mischief, and I finally recognized the jaunty tune. Grinning, I joined in and obviously surprised her. Folding the quilt away from her face, she huskily sang the naughtiest stanza of that old-time ballad I'd last heard echoing from the bathroom at the Ghost Inn – the one about shenanigans in a hayloft. She was blushing scarlet by the end, until I leaned down and kissed her.

"I approve of your musical choice," I teased.

"It seemed appropriate, what with the straw and, um, everything… would you, er, like some help with your, uh…."

"Yes, please," I interrupted, barely stifling an almost overwhelming urge to laugh. "My fingers don't want to work."

"It appears your blood supply is otherwise occupied," she wryly commented when I rolled onto my side and revealed the very hard state of my arousal. My girl dealt with the situation calmly and efficiently, and then startled me by giving my boxer-covered erection a light pat, as if greeting it. Hastily yanking off the rest of my clothes, I dropped them next to my boots and joined her under the quilt.

And came to a full stop.

We were laying side by side, on our backs, our bare shoulders almost touching. Tifa smiled bashfully; I know my expression was equally shy. I felt oddly breathless, like something unforgettable was about to happen, and I had a strong suspicion that she felt the same way.

Tifa turned to face me and I followed suit; she made the first move by resting her fingertips on my chest. Stroking her hair away from her face, I lightly caressed her shoulder and down her arm to her hand, then kissed her knuckles. Our bodies migrated towards each other by degrees, until her foot made contact with my shin, followed by our knees and hips until I felt brave enough to slide my arms around her. Tifa cuddled close, snuggling into 'her' spot on my shoulder, and we simply held each other for long minutes until we were completely comfortable with this new level of intimacy.

This was _much_ better than the first time we'd been naked together, on a damp bedroll, after a frigid dip in a mako spring.

Her hands started wandering, tentatively at first, then more confidently after I groaned her name and pressed into her touch. She traced the lines of my pecs, then down across my abs to the ridge of muscle marking my hip, then over my ass and up my back. Mimicking her actions, I closed my eyes and concentrated on learning Tifa's shape through touch. Each rib defined by smooth ripples of muscle. The dip of her waist flowing into the sweet curve of her hip. When I cupped her ass, her leg slid up over mine, and my fingertips brushed her short curls. She moaned so softly that only my enhanced hearing allowed me to catch it, then hiked her leg higher in clear invitation. I hesitated, but her lips moved against my chest, her tongue-tip defining the line of my collarbone in encouragement.

I don't think she expected what happened next, because I completely surprised myself.

I _might_ have growled when I rolled her beneath me, but if I did, the sound was muffled in the crook of her neck - I hope. However, I managed to stop myself from leaving teeth marks while I licked and nipped her warm skin... until she began rubbing herself against my thigh. The erotic motion, plus the scent of her arousal, went straight to the most primal part of my brain and I bit down on her collarbone. Not too hard, thank Shiva, because her startled noise brought me back before I went any further. Kissing the red mark, I whispered an apology; she murmured a response, but it was several minutes before she resumed her sensuous movements.

Chastened, I moved more slowly, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her breasts until her nipples peaked against my lips. Arching her back, Tifa breathlessly urged me on, letting out a small scream when I flicked the taut flesh with my tongue. Her hands pulled at my hair and shoulders while her hips rolled more frantically; emboldened by her eager reaction, I slid one hand down over her flat stomach and palmed her short curls. When she pressed up into my touch, I distracted her by switching my attentions to her other breast while sliding my finger into her slick folds.

"_C-Cloud!_"

Tifa's sharp gasp, followed by a long, shuddering moan, ignited my arousal like Ifrit, but I fought back the overwhelming urge to replace my finger with my erection. Partly because I wanted to make sure she was ready, but also because I really wanted her to enjoy the experience. Bits and pieces of Zack's advice floated through my brain, a few from before Nibelheim when we hung out between missions, but most from after we escaped from the lab, when he would fill the silence by talking about Aerith – in sometimes explicit detail. I was really glad that I didn't remember any of it during her time with us, because that would've been _beyond_ awkward.

Going by the way Tifa's breathing hitched and her heartbeat sped up when I touched a particularly sensitive nub, I had found what Zack referred to as '_the_ sweet spot'. Tifa's reaction to my discovery was instantaneous. Spreading her legs even further, she bucked wildly against my hand, and her whispered entreaties encouraged me to alternate attention between her 'sweet spot' and deeper, wetter places. She tensed, her grip tightening, and then she cried out, her body rippling powerfully around my finger.

My ego, among other things, proudly swelled.

Carefully withdrawing my hand, smirking as she shuddered and faintly protested the loss of contact, I surreptitiously licked my finger because I wasn't sure how she'd react to my obsession with her taste and scent. Comfortably settling my hips between her thighs, I nuzzled her throat and just breathed in her warmth, feeling extremely pleased with myself. After several minutes, Tifa roused herself enough to kiss my forehead.

I couldn't help asking, "How was it?"

Her heavy-lidded gaze was somehow both equal parts sultry and shy. "Really, really... _nice_," she exhaled, smiling crookedly.

"_Nice_? That's it? " I protested, feeling oddly put out.

"_Yes_," she sighed, still smiling, and I realized that like me, her blood supply was 'otherwise occupied'; I went back to feeling smug. Tifa's hands began smoothing up and down my back. Shifting her hips beneath me, she murmured, "Do you want...?"

"Only if you're ready."

She nodded, and indicated the knapsack, then seemed nonplussed when I didn't wait for her instructions before dragging the bag closer and rummaging for the envelope of condoms. When she stilled, I noticed her wary expression. "I accidentally found Aerith's, er, 'gift' the next morning at the Ghost Inn, when I packed my stuff in your bag."

"_Oh_..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "Then you saw the notes, too..."

"She loved to tease, and she wanted us to get together. She was just making sure we were covered," I murmured, sprinkling kisses across Tifa's nose and cheeks. "I wanna see you in that nightgown again." Finally locating the envelope, I opened the flap and shook out the colourful contents onto the bedding. "So... 'ribbed', 'studded', 'extra-thin', 'glow-in-the-dark' – what the _hell_?"

As I frowned at the gaudily-hued wrapper of the last one, Tifa rapidly shook her head. "I-I... _don't_ _know_."

Laughing a little, I answered, "I don't, either. Never used one before." When her expression fell, I hastily added, "Never done _this_ before," and watched her brighten again. Choosing the condom with the least-obnoxiously coloured wrapper, I pushed myself up on my knees.

In the process of ripping open the package, I was distracted by the beautiful woman lying before me. Her silky locks formed a dark halo around her face and shoulders, and her skin –all over - was lightly flushed. My hands started shaking badly enough that _of course_ I dropped the condom, sticky side down, on her belly.

Tifa pushed herself up on her elbows. "Need a little help?"

My ego grudgingly gave in, and I nodded. Blushing, she captured the condom and sat up. I thought she'd just get on with it, but instead she wrapped her fingers around my length and ran her thumb over the head. "So soft… but so hard at the same time," she murmured, continuing her gentle inspection until my knees shook. Encouraged, she kept stroking me, but as fantastic as her touch felt, I had to slow things down.

Stilling her busy hand, I whispered, "You have to stopor I'll be finished before we even start."

When I released her fingers, Tifa immediately went back to the task at hand. "Goopy stuff on the outside, I suppose?" I couldn't talk, just weakly nodded as she placed the condom on the tip of my erection and unrolled it down my length – and then kept hold of me as she slowly reclined. I followed her down, bracing myself on my hands, unable to look away as Tifa bent her knees and opened her thighs more fully, then guided me into her entrance.

Thank Shiva for the condom. _Less_ sensation is a _good_ thing when you're trying to _not_ embarrass yourself for a _second_ time.

The ability of half of my brain to process a coherent thought was another side benefit.

The other half? It was howling triumphantly; I told it to shut up when I noticed that Tifa was flinching.

"You okay?"

"Aerith... said it might pinch a little." Squirming in an attempt to ease her discomfort, she succeeded in at least making my eyes go crossed. Lowering myself onto my elbows, I forcibly controlled my body's instinctive desire to thrust by closing my eyes and concentrating on my breathing. Every nerve in my body was firing at the same time and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold off much longer unless I did something drastic.

"Should I... pull out?"

"Don't you _dare._"

Cracking open an eyelid, I would have been amused by her fierce glare if she hadn't suddenly exhaled deeply and relaxed her inner muscles at the same time, allowing me to slide fully within.

_Sweet_ Shiva.

A shudder passed through me and Tifa hugged me tightly, her legs wrapping around my hips to complete the full-body embrace and incidentally joining us even more deeply. Raising my head, I just _looked_ at Tifa, memorizing every nuance of her blush, every hitch in her breathing, engraving this moment in my memory.

Back in the army, I never understood how the rest of my squad could brag about how many 'pieces of tail' they'd managed to score during leave in Sector Eight. Right now, I _absolutely_ didn't get it - how could you be so intimately connected to another human being and simply brush off the experience as another notch in the belt?

Maybe that's one of the reasons I never made it into SOLDIER; I wasn't able to shut down my emotions and treat other people as _things_.

Finally giving in to an almost instinctual demand, I quickly lost all conscious thought, utterly absorbed by the rhythmic movements of my body against hers, the musky scent of her skin, her disjointed cries and pleading whispers as Tifa urged me on. Too soon, the coil of pleasure winding tighter and tighter deep with my belly let go, and I helplessly pounded into her as white light exploded through my brain.

I _definitely_ growled that time, and Tifa heard it; her response was a breathy laugh and a kiss to my shoulder. Rumbling again, because she seemed to like the sound, I mouthed the crook of her neck and tried to catch my breath. Emotion surged through me, and I possessively gathered her closer. No matter what happened tomorrow, I was _hers_, body and soul. Desperately trying to convey my feelings, I kissed her roughly, until I abruptly realized that there were tears running down my face. I pulled back, confused by my reactions, but Tifa understood. Tenderly caressing my wet cheeks, she whispered five little words that went straight to my heart.

"I love you, too, Cloud."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

**A/N: **I know, I know – the famous 'under the _Highwind_' scene took place outdoors, on a rocky plateau. However, outdoor sex is uncomfortable at best (think rocks, sand, pinecones, twigs, peeping Caits, etc.) and on the Planet, it's almost _asking_ for a monster to show up and ruin the moment. One of the wikis mentioned that the game designers had considered an alternate scenario, which had Cloud and Tifa exiting the _Highwind_'s on-board Chocobo Stable the 'next morning', which to me sounded like a _much_ more pleasant location for romp-age.

Apparently, the stable scenario was vetoed for being 'too suggestive'. *eyeroll* Of course, that incident with Mukki at the Honeybee Inn wasn't suggestive _at all_.


	21. Heart of Darkness

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix in fairly good condition. The key word there is 'fairly'.

**A/N: **Dialogue lifted from the Original Game,_ Pokemon, Star Trek 09_ and _Advent Children_. Fudging the acquisition of Cloud's ultimate weapon and playing fast and loose with the four battles against Iron Man, The Pinecone-Butted-Wormy-Wattled Harpy (Jenova SYNTHESIS), The Baroque Beer Mug Handle (Bizarro Sephiroth), and The Winged Wonder (Safer Sephiroth); definitely _not_ the way any of them happen in-game!

**Bouquets** to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, who are first-rate plot!bunny wranglers!

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Twenty-One: Heart of Darkness **

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Waking up with your best friend in your arms the morning after you've become lovers is the _best_ way to start your day.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there, _dammit_.

I wasn't exactly sure what time it was; my subconscious may have picked up movement from outside the Stable. Probably close to reveille, but I wasn't going anywhere yet. It was warm and cozy in our nest, and I wanted to hold onto both Tifa and this moment for as long as possible.

She was tucked against my chest, her head on my shoulder, her arm draped around my waist and her long legs twined with mine. We'd fallen asleep in the identical position, and it appeared that neither of us had moved; I admired the intricate patterns made by her long hair as it scrolled across the bedding and off onto the hay.

Supremely content, I listened to her breathing while twirling dark strands around my fingers. Last night had felt... so _right_, that thinking about it made a giddy little sensation bubble through my heart. Instead of an end-of-the-world desperation move, it was more like the next logical step in our relationship – a relationship that was meant to _last_, not be shortened by disaster.

A small square of outside light was visible, high up by the ceiling on the other side of the Stable; probably courtesy of an air vent. Judging by the pearly grey colour, it was almost dawn and someone would be along very soon to roust us out of our haven. My bets were on Cid – armed with one of Cait's megaphones.

Nuzzling Tifa's forehead, I watched her lashes flutter before she rubbed her cheek against my chest. "_Mmmph_?"

"Good morning, love." I felt incredibly privileged to call her that.

Her drowsy smile was soft and intimate, and just for me. "G'morning, Cloud."

"I hate to say it, but dawn's approaching..."

Stretching up, she kissed my cheek. "Not yet... just a little bit longer...?"

"All right."

"We'll never this moment again," she sighed, settling back into place. "I want to hold onto it... as long as possible..."

Since this dovetailed nicely with my own inclinations, I cuddled her close and we dozed for a little while – until Tifa began kissing my throat and her hands started wandering. Turning onto my side, I pulled her snugly against me, my knee slipping between her thighs. She giggled lightly when my morning wood nudged her belly, and then made _me_ blush by reaching down to give it a gentle caress. Then she kissed me, and things got very intense, very fast.

I was just trying to remember where the rest of the condoms had been stashed last night when the Stable door slid open. Instead of a raucous chorus courtesy of our profane pilot, a polite cough announced that we had company. Making sure a fiery-red Tifa was completely covered up, I rolled onto my back to glare at the intruder.

"I deeply regret intruding on your privacy, but it is time."

"Thanks; give us a few minutes to organize ourselves." Nanaki bobbed his head and withdrew, but Tifa seemed determined to avoid being winkled out of bed before she was good and ready. The door had barely closed before she slid on top of me and fastened her mouth over mine in a deep, wet kiss that made my head spin.

"We'll continue this tonight," she purred, and my libido surged, making it abundantly clear that it wasn't interested in any delayed gratification. However, she shook her head when I urgently rocked my hips against her. "I don't want to risk Marlene coming in."

"Now _that's_ a boner-killer. I'd rather have Sephiroth after my ass than Barret because his little girl's been traumatized."

Tifa chuckled as she reluctantly moved away. "She was raised in the Slums; I _know _she's more aware than Barret would like."

"He's a protective father... I'll be the same, some day." Her surprise turned into a brilliant smile, and I was kissed rather thoroughly.

"You'll be _worse_," she predicted, giggling. "It'll take an especially brave boy to ask out Cloud Strife's daughter."

"I hope she has your eyes," I said quietly, bumping my nose against hers and enjoying her blush.

After another lingering kiss, we turned our attentions to dressing. Tifa pulled her slacks out of the knapsack and put them on instead of her skirt. I lightly pouted, but the garment was definitely more suited to the climate of the Northern Crater than her short skirt… and less distracting for me. I caught her wincing when she sat down to pull on her socks. "So… Aerith was right?" I asked, seating myself beside her.

Tifa blinked, then grinned wryly as she shifted onto one hip. "Uh-huh – 'tender in delicate places' definitely sums things up!"

She was helping buckle my gauntlet when the pink ribbon still tied around her wrist caught my eye. Impulsively, I caught hold of her hand and unpicked the knot; Tifa opened her mouth, but then shut it again when I slid the loop of pink silk up her arm and knotted it above her bicep. "I have Zack's sword, you have Aerith's ribbon – a piece of each of them will be with us today."

Tifa touched the ribbon, then moved into my embrace. "We're not alone," she sniffled, hugging hard.

I held her just as tight, then tilted up her face for a kiss. "_Definitely_ not alone," I murmured against her lips.

Several long, sweet minutes later, we finally let go of each other long enough to put on our boots. Before sliding them onto her feet, Tifa pulled out her socks and the tattered blue ribbon, then rummaged in her pack. Making a face, she quickly gave up. "Forgot my brush, darn it."

"No problem." Moving behind her, I ran my fingers through her tangled locks, feeling extremely smug about the reason _why_ her hair was messed up as I smoothed the thick strands. "Better?"

Using the ribbon to secure the length, Tifa gave her distinctive 'tail' an experimental swish. "Yes."

Taking our bed apart, we folded the sheets and blankets, the colourful quilt on top. "Does this belong to Elmyra?"

Tifa blushed and nodded. "She made it years ago, for her wedding."

"Wow... it was awfully sweet of her to loan it to us," I said, admiring the intricate stitching; my mom would have been impressed.

Shuffling her feet, Tifa said, "Since neither of us have families to pass things like this down to us, Elmyra decided to adopt us."

Smiling, I leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Good. Our kids are gonna need a grandma to spoil them, right? Would that make Barret their 'grandpa'?"

"He's the 'favourite uncle', remember?" she said, then sighed. "I wish there was time for a shower."

I grunted a non-committal noise. For one, there was no damn way I was going to subject myself to that claustrophobic shower stall ever again, if I could help it, and for another – I rather liked the way I smelled, since Tifa's scent was all over me. "Considering what we're getting into today, a shower would be a waste of time."

"True – but there better be time for one before the victory party!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Outside the Stable, we found Nanaki waiting for us. "Breakfast is served," he gravely declared, then directed us into the Operations Room where Elmyra was already presiding over a steaming kettle of oatmeal large enough to feed a battalion and even better, a large carafe of a hot beverage that Cid had nothing to do with.

"Good morning!" she carolled, directing us to stash our gear in a corner while she filled bowls and poured coffee for us. We joined Barret and Shera at the other end of the table; Cid and Nanaki arrived soon after, plus about half of the crew.

"Where's Marlene?" Tifa asked.

"Still sleepin'. No point in her bein' up an' about 'til we reach th' Crater," Barret replied, emptying his bowl with enviable appetite.

"We need to assess our equipment," I said, stirring an extra spoonful of sugar into my oatmeal. "After breakfast, bring everything you have here to the Operations Room and we'll sort it."

"An' then I'll show ya the _Highwind_'s new trick!" Cid gloated. I could tell he was dying to tease us, but whenever he opened his mouth, Shera promptly dug him in the ribs with her elbow. After the third or fourth time this happened, he protested, "Aw, c'mon, woman! Why can't we have a little fun with 'em?"

Daintily sipping from her mug, she paused for a moment before saying, "Because I, for one, don't want to have to worry about anyone seeking revenge for what they _might_ have put with now, when we want to enjoy _our_ wedding night." It was highly gratifying to watch Cid first go white, then turn an interesting shade of red as all the potential ramifications sank in. Then Tifa, of all people, delivered the final blow.

"It _would_ be really, _really_ awful if Bahamut was 'accidentally' Summoned during an occasion like that… wouldn't you agree, Cid?" she asked, the very picture of innocence. I squeezed her hand under the table, smirked at the discomfited pilot and ate my oatmeal with the air of a man who wouldn't _dream_ of doing such a nefarious thing.

Barret let out a hearty guffaw. "Yer hoist on yer own lance, Cid. Leave 'em be."

The plain cereal was good for my stomach, in terms of giving it something to do instead of tie itself in knots. The coffee was delicious, but I limited myself to one cup because the adrenaline was already starting to course through my system and I really didn't need to be twitching. At my side, Tifa was a steadying presence, her fingers twined with mine as she finished off her breakfast. Nanaki sprawled on the deck beside my chair, his muzzle buried in a punch-bowl-sized serving; his gently waving tail-flare betrayed his enjoyment.

"Daddy?" Marlene stood in the doorway, blinking owlishly, hand-in-paw with Cait Sith.

Barret immediately pushed back his chair. "C'mere, princess." She stumbled into his arms, where she cuddled into the crook of his gun-arm and finished waking up. Cait was scooped onto Shera's lap, where he pretended to be a real cat and curled up as best he could with those ridiculous boots in the way.

Elmyra offered more coffee, but I shook my head. "Thanks for the meal. It's much appreciated."

"Should I pack lunches for you?"

"We'll be back before noon," I replied, trying to sound confident; Elmyra smiled and squeezed my shoulder before refilling Cid's mug.

"If my heart wasn't already taken, Miz Elmyra, I'd be composin' odes to your cookin'!" the pilot proclaimed.

She rolled her eyes. "Pish-tosh. How do you keep this silver-tongued rascal in line, Miss Shera?"

"By threatening to hide the tea canister."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"No wonder our packs have felt heavy lately," Tifa commented, surveying the tumbled piles of materia, armour and assorted gear covering the table's surface, along with the array of weapons stacked around the walls. "Lucky we have the _Highwind_ to haul it for us."

"Can't 'member how we got half this shi-, er, stuff," Barret agreed, casting a nervous glance in Marlene's direction; the little girl was busy sorting the materia by colour. Nanaki patiently identified each of them for her while Cait made sure the glowing balls didn't roll off the tabletop.

It was my job to ask the difficult questions. "Cid – you in?"

Glaring, he shifted the toothpick he'd taken to chewing in lieu of a cigarette to the other side of his mouth. "Ya think I'm gonna miss this?" I shot a significant glance at Shera, who was helping Marlene count the materia. He followed my look and smiled fondly. "Got me an even _better_ reason to stick it to Sephiroth."

"Cait?"

"_Cait's also staying on board_," Reeve replied. "_He'll keep an open comm link between you and the ship, using your PHS_."

"Plus I really wanted him to stay, since Daddy has to go fight," Marlene whispered, and the cat immediately wrapped both his paws around her hand. Shera put her arm around Marlene's shoulders while Nanaki nudged his head into her lap and began that purr-like rumble, and her smile almost instantly returned.

I tried to casually slip the Ziedrich onto Tifa's arm while she was rummaging through the selection of armour for something that Barret would find useful, but she shook her head. "You'll make better use of it," she murmured, clipping the piece of armour around my wrist, then held up the Minerva Armlet. "I'm the only one who can wear this, and I'll fill it with Aerith's materia... except _this_ one." Isolating a familiar, troublesome Transform materia, she tossed it to Barret.

He wrinkled his nose. "If'n I turned Sephiroth into a gal with this, 'e wouldn't look much diff'rent than 'e does now!"

While Cid cackled, Tifa briskly replied, "Aerith reset it while I was in the Lifestream with Cloud."

"Wouldn't mind seein' Sephiroth as a hoppin' toad," the gunman snickered. "Better give it to someone wi' more magic than me... yo, Cid – here, make yer Wizard Bracelet all purty."

"Cloud, would you _stop_ it?" Tifa sighed, removing one of the materia I'd snuck into her array while Barret and Cid genially heckled each other for Shera and Marlene's benefit. "You're obviously not thinking straight, if you're trying to give _me_ the Added Cut!"

"No chance that I could convince you to wait here?"

"Would you stay behind if our roles were reversed?" she replied, snapping the All materia into an open slot.

"Oi, boss – almost forgot t'give you somethin'." Cid disappeared, returning several minutes later with two crewmen lugging what appeared to be a sword made from crystal. "Souvenir from our fight with the Weapon that popped outta Mideel harbour."

The sweating crewmen carefully propped the weapon upright; before I grasped the hilt, I inspected the deeply faceted cutting edges and almost wing-like guard. The power emanating from the sword made the hair on the back of my neck prickle, and I knew before touching it that I had acquired another level of attack.

"Well, ain't _that_ fancy," Barret snorted, when the gleaming blade turned from blue-purple to almost blinding blue-white when I hefted it. "Don' need no flashlights where we're goin'."

"Pretty!" Marlene enthused, coming over to have a better look.

"Careful, squirt – it's _sharp_." She instantly clasped her hands behind her back, but continued admiring herself in the highly reflective surface while I loaded materia into the linked slots.

"What about the Buster?" Tifa quietly asked, her fingers brushing over the pink ribbon tied around her arm.

"It's coming, too. Works as a defensive weapon – prevented Hojo from strangling me yesterday." Choosing two more materia to plug into the Buster, I slapped it on my back and immediately calmed due to its familiar presence. None of the other swords I'd used during our quest had the same effect, as if Zack literally 'had my back' – even when I didn't remember him.

"Any inspirational words, Cloud-san?"

I took a deep breath and looked at each of my friends in turn. "There is no second chance; this will be the Final Battle. The end of the line is the Northern Crater, and our target – Sephiroth!"

"That 'bout sums things up," Cid laconically agreed, giving his weapon a final, loving polish. "Get ready for launch."

"Launch?"

Cid tapped the side of his nose. "The _Highwind _has a coupla tricks up her fuselage; all I'm gonna say is that you might wanna find something to hold onta."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"I can't decide if Cid's a genius... or just plain crazy!" I shouted into Tifa's ear, holding tightly onto the deck railing while Tifa held onto me. Overhead, massive jet engines roared, catapulting us through the atmosphere at an almost terrifying rate. The _Highwind_ had always been fast, but this was almost unbelievable.

As the rising sun tipped the distant mountain tops a deeper shade of pink, Cid had flipped a pair of levers and the airship started shedding pieces of her superstructure while previously-hidden turbines emerged from the airframe. We barely had time to grab onto various supports when the _Highwind_ practically leapt forward, like a hunting dog released from its leash.

Within moments, we'd left the coast of the Northern Continent behind and were over the snow-capped mountains, traversing the distance with incredible speed. We'd hit a minor barrier shortly thereafter, but with the rest of the crew's support – literally - Cid had taken a death-grip on the wheel and guided the ship through the turbulence. Tifa and I had gone topside immediately afterwards despite the danger, wanting a few more minutes together. The fresh air also helped stave off motion sickness – or maybe that was nervous tension?

The craggy ramparts of the Crater loomed and the main engines shut down as we glided toward our target. "I wonder if Mr. Holzoff managed to escape," Tifa murmured, releasing her hold on me to lean over the railing and scan the terrain below. "I never thought to ask Reeve."

"Holzoff's a tough old goat," I answered, my attention consumed by how different the interior of the Crater looked from the last time I'd seen it. "The Maze is gone!" The immense basin was now empty, nothing more than a great gaping hole... and it was one helluva long way down.

"Is th' bastard still here?" Barret demanded hoarsely as he arrived next to us at the railing; Marlene's lip-prints were still visible on his cheek, and his eyes were suspiciously damp.

"Can't tell. My Sephi-radar appears to be permanently off-line."

"Wouldn't _that_ be a pisser?" Cid muttered, adjusting his goggles as crewmen unrolled ropes and readied Nanaki's bosun's chair. "We come all this way to rumble 'im, an' he doesn't have the fucking decency to be here." Lighting a cigarette, he took a deep drag and blew a series of smoke rings. "Ready, kids?"

"Cloud! Do your best!" Marlene called. When I glanced over my shoulder, she gave me a double thumbs-up.

Shera, Elmyra and the rest of the crew broke out into cheers as I saluted, then turned to the rest of the team. "Move out."

"_Geronimoooo_!"

Barret rolled his eyes and followed the whooping pilot after a final wave to Marlene. While Nanaki loaded himself into the sling, I swung over the railing; before I could descend, Tifa caught hold of my harness and kissed me. "For luck," she whispered, briefly pressing her forehead against mine.

"Leave it to me," I jauntily replied, returning the kiss.

As it turned out, it really _was_ up to me.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Pass me an Elixir, boss – ya want another one, Nanaki?"

"I am recovered, Cid-san."

"Damn Gargoyles," the pilot groused, gulping the restorative liquid and lighting another cigarette while inspecting our rest stop, a cave featuring a clear crystalline wall behind which the Lifestream surged and bubbled.

"Rather them than another fucking Dragon or a Behemoth," Barret declared between mouthfuls of sandwich.

Despite my assurances that we'd be back before lunchtime, Elmyra had insisted on packing snacks, and I was rather glad she did. We'd been working our way down the inside wall of the crater, fighting pitched battles with various monsters along the way, for almost two hours when I called a halt, mainly to give our protesting muscles a rest. Tifa passed me a canteen of tea and I took a long swig before stuffing my last bite into my mouth. Dusting the crumbs off my sweater, I drank more of the tea before handing it back. "Ready?"

Barret wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "How much farther d'ya reckon, Spiky?"

"No clue. Since the entire insides of the Crater have collapsed, your guess is as good as mine."

"We are beneath ground level," Nanaki declared, padding back into the cave. "The floor of the original cavern is not far below."

"How d'ya know?" Cid asked.

"It appears to be covered by the remains of the Whirlwind Maze."

"Any sign of more Weapons?" I wanted to know, adjusting the straps holding my shiny new sword. Both it and the Buster together weighed almost as much as me, but I was glad to have them.

"None," Nanaki replied, accepting a sandwich from Barret.

"Huh. Woulda thought ol'Sephy mighta kept one of 'em around," Cid said. "Doesn't it seem kinda odd that he's left his front door undefended?"

Tifa shouldered her pack. "I suspect that he's supremely confident that he can defeat any threat."

"Arrogant fuckin' asshole."

A few minutes later, we were carefully edging down the spiral grooves cut into the outer surface of a gigantic stalactite-like rock formation. Eerie blue, green and yellow lights blinked on and off far below, dimly illuminating the jumbled landscape.

"Looks like Sector Six after the Plate was dropped," I commented quietly to Barret, who grimaced in agreement. The tip of the stalactite ended several feet above the cavern floor, threatening a nasty tumble if you missed your landing on the uneven surface.

"What wonders and delights await us?" Cid muttered, hanging onto a precarious handhold in order to stretch down and jam the tip of his lance into a convenient boulder. Testing it, he agilely slid down the shaft to the rocks below. We followed one by one, until we were standing on the most stable-looking surface.

"Which way, Cloud-san?"

"Down," I answered. "He's deep within the Planet – any closer to the surface, and ShinRa could've bombed him."

"Wonder if they tried?" Barret said.

"If they did, it just made a bigger mess for us to contend with." I gestured at the surrounding rock piles.

Tifa looked up at the distantly-hovering _Highwind_, which appeared no bigger than a toy, then down, and finally pointed at what possibly was a shadowed opening a few hundred feet away. "It's almost the exact centre of the Crater; perhaps that's where the mako fountain originated?"

"Sephiroth was smack-dab underneath the fountain," Cid agreed.

"We'd better hustle – time's running out."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Sephiroth's a fucking _coward_," Barret declared an hour later, after a series of short, sharp encounters that left us all bruised and winded. "He's usin' these fucking monsters to fucking grind us down before he hasta face us."

"What were you saying about an 'undefended front door', Cid?" I wryly teased.

"I take it back," the pilot grunted.

"We have reached the Lifestream," Nanaki declared shortly after we skidded down yet another passageway and into a tall, narrow, echoing chamber. The stone walls glimmered green from the pool of mako at the bottom; it was almost pretty - in a forbidding sort of way.

"It's a dead end," Barret growled.

"No it isn't," Tifa replied. Biting her lip as she stared at the pool, she finally squared her shoulders and faced us. "We have to enter the Lifestream itself."

While the rest of us simply gaped, Nanaki was the first to respond. "Tifa-san is more than likely correct. However, to enter the Lifestream is to risk losing our minds in the midst of the collective anguish."

"Not if we have Aerith's help. When Cloud and I went into the Lifestream at Mideel, I think... no, I'm sure of it... that she protected my mind from mako poisoning."

"We can breathe the Lifestream – Cloud-san and Tifa-san's survival are the proof of that," Nanaki said hesitantly, eyeing the pool. "If you are certain that Aerith-sama will protect us..."

"A PHS connection to the netherworld would be handy right now," I muttered, not at all sure I was ready for another swim in the supernatural liquid. However, the choice was taken out of my hands when the chamber shook violently, nearly knocking us off our feet. Below, the pool of mako began bubbling.

"We have to go," Tifa said urgently.

"There's no turnin' back," Cid declared. "We can all add 'submariner' to our resumes after this."

I clasped Tifa's hand and pulled her close. We shared a quick embrace, drawing strength from each other. Kissing her forehead, I waited until she met my gaze before saying, "All right, everyone... let's mosey."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"That wasn't too bad," Cid opined, steadying himself after a successful jump. "Not sure 'bout the 'lungs fulla mako' part, but it seems t'be working. Oi - watch that edge, Barret."

I watched Nanaki carefully inspect the surface of the next floating boulder; he'd elected himself point guard, insisting that I conserve my energy on the assumption that the next battles would be particularly nasty since we were now within Sephiroth's grasp. Tifa had only smiled tightly and pointed out that we were also in Aerith and Zack's realm, which turned out to be comforting since so far none of us had fallen victim to the insanity that swirled around us. The haunting screams and shrieks were disconcerting, but within a few minutes, they'd receded to the edges of our awareness; we were too keyed up expecting an attack.

My biggest concern was that we were letting Sephiroth choose the battlefield, which could only go badly for us.

And just like that, a huge mech with a sword that made both of mine look like toothpicks separated itself from the rocky platform at the bottom of the floating staircase as soon as we all set foot on it. Nanaki led the charge with a fire attack, but then we all had to duck out of the way of the giant sword, which had a disconcertingly long reach. "It is resistant to fire," Nanaki reported; I put away my Ifrit materia.

"Metal comes from the earth, so those type of attacks are out..."

"Lightning, Ice or Water," I said, letting go with a Bolt that set the mech back on its heels, but didn't otherwise discourage it from trying to swat us with that sword; at least it was as slow as it was huge. Tifa took advantage of one of its ponderous swings to race in close and begin pummelling its knee joint; Cid skipped under the sword and joined in, hacking away at the other knee with his lance while Nanaki leapt onto its back and clawed his way upwards towards the giant's head.

"Get that fancy sword o' yers ready, Spiky," Barret yelled, letting go with all barrels at the mech's chest. The gunman ran sideways across the rocky platform, firing steadily all the time, drawing the mech's attention with him... and leaving me a clear line of attack.

Releasing the crystal sword from its straps, I crouched, then threw myself at the mech's sword arm. One strike was all it took – the razor-sharp cutting edge of the blade went through the metal joint so easily that I did a complete three-sixty from the force of my swing. I managed to not land on my ass, but I staggered badly from the impact... fortunately out of the way of the mech's severed hand and blade as they bounced off the ground.

"_Tifa!_"

A giant hand snatched her up, but before the mech could close its fist, she had vaulted off its palm, turned a mid-air somersault and kicked the hand away so hard that the mech punched itself in the face. Unfortunately, her attack dislodged Nanaki from his precarious perch gnawing on the back of the robot's neck and sent him tumbling. She had no sooner hit the ground than she was dodging between the mech's legs to reach him, casting Cure on the fly. Cid hopped around behind the mech when it tried to grab him, continuing to whittle chunks out of its armour, while Barret kept up a steady barrage aimed at its head and chest. Finally, it seemed to realize that it could still use its sword, and reached for the weapon with its remaining hand.

"Don't jus' stand there, boss – _do_ somethin'!" the pilot yelled. "Either fucking chop it up with yer shiny new toy, or kick its tin-can ass with a Summon!"

Whirling my sword overhead, I took advantage of the mech's crouch to jump onto its arm and charge upwards. Wary of using too much force, I planted my feet on its shoulder and sliced off its head. As the collection of wire, glass and metal crashed to the ground, I rammed the crystal blade between its shoulder blades and ran down the mech's back. As I landed, it fell apart in two pieces, with a great sparking and crackling.

Cid wiped his brow and leaned on his lance. "Think this was a Weapon?" he asked, kicking the closest chunk of metal.

"Too fucking small," Barret answered shortly, reloading his gun-arm from the bandoliers draped around his huge frame. "If it was, it musta been th' runt o' the fucking litter."

Tifa and Nanaki joined us, both looking a little the worse for wear. "Next monster shows up, you two take a breather," I ordered. "Cid and Barret will cover me."

"When do _you_ take a breather?" Tifa wanted to know.

"When Sephiroth's dead."

The ground fractured beneath our feet, turning into a patchwork of broken cubes. "Here we go again," I muttered.

"Dammit, not even time for a fucking smoke," Cid grumbled, tucking the unlit cigarette into the strap securing his goggles and hefted his lance. "Let's see how fast we can kill this next fucker, boss. I'm parched for a mouthful o' tea."

Blinding light flared briefly all around us; among the chorus of profanity, Nanaki threw back his head and sniffed deeply. "Jenova!"

"_Shit_," I growled, raising the crystal sword. "Not _another _piece."

"It's gonna be the _last_ one," Barret promised, snapping shut the barrel of his gun-arm.

"There!" Tifa pointed into the swirling green, dropping into a stance.

Barret made a face as he squinted at the oncoming creature. "Ain't as ugly as th' others, but still wouldn't win no beauty contest."

That was an understatement. The piece of Jenova confronting us had the naked torso of a woman mounted on what appeared to be a giant grey pinecone. Where her head should've been there was a large purple crystal-like structure – but what really drew our attention were the two worm-like, flailing appendages that _might_ have been arms.

"It appears almost insect-like," Nanaki observed.

"Hopefully it'll be easy to squish," I replied, noting the creature's sluggish movements. "Don't give it time to attack – hit it with every Summon we have!" Ifrit's flames wrapped around Jenova and scorched her black before Shiva left a thick coating of ice, but those tentacle-like arms still wriggled obscenely.

I was readying Bahamut when Tifa shouted, "_Alexander_!" The huge armoured Summon crushed Jenova to the ground; shoving the materia back into my pocket, I ran in while our opponent was flattened and carved it up into pieces.

"_Phoenix-sama_!"

I dove out of the way of the fiery bird and felt its healing energy washing over me even as its attack burned Jenova to ashes. The ground was still smoking when I stomped towards my insubordinate teammates. "You two were supposed to stay _out_ of this battle!" I fumed.

"There wasn't time to hand off Alexander to either Cid or Barret," Tifa pointed out.

Nanaki peered up at me with his one eye. "Likewise with Phoenix-sama."

"Fine. Back row, both of you, until the... _whoooooooa_!"

We lost our footing as mako surged up between and around the cubes; then individual cubes rose into the air, becoming columns. Assuming that the columns might be used as weapons against us, I tried to keep one eye on them and another on the unstable ground, but that went about as well as you may expect. I was straddling two cubes when one dropped out from under my foot and I went over, but Barret grabbed my arm and swung me to safety.

Then Tifa _screamed_.

Nanaki's startled roar loud in my ears, I let out a yell of my own as the girl I loved was swallowed by a wall of thick green mist. Heedless of anything else, I threw myself across the heaving landscape, deaf to Cid's and Barret's warning shouts, and charged into the billowing mass. I had enough sense to drop my sword from an attack position, in case the edge of the blade found Tifa before I did.

The mist clogged my nose and mouth, which was impossible since we were immersed in the Lifestream, but that's what it felt like. I tried swimming through the murk, since it didn't seem like there were any solid surfaces, but a brilliant white glare first blinded me, then left blue-rimmed pulsating spots in my field of vision that gradually blended into one large, white-swirled light source casting a gentle glow.

It looked like Holy.

The mist abruptly cleared, and we landed, hard, on the edge of a hollowed-out blood-red rock that blocked much of the soft light. I scrambled to grab onto a dazed-looking Tifa, but before I could reach her, we were dragged apart and suspended in the Lifestream by a powerful force. From that vantage point, I realized what the jagged red boulder represented – Meteor, and behind it, that definitely had to be Holy. Therefore, I wasn't as surprised as everyone else when Sephiroth suddenly appeared in the centre of the circular red stone, not-so-subtly advertising that his will was blocking Aerith's prayer.

"Is that him? The real Sephiroth?" Cid demanded.

"Can't tell – Nanaki? Can you smell him?"

"It has no scent... but it is emanating _considerable_ power!"

"It's a manifestation of Sephiroth's will - that's Holy behind it," I declared, flinching as Tifa struggled valiantly against her unseen bonds.

"So let's destroy the fucking thing and be done with it!" Barret snarled, but we weren't in a position to act on that suggestion. The Sephiroth image gestured, and we were first yanked towards it before being flung outwards, then viciously shaken until it felt like our joints were being torn apart. "H-he's... _way..._ outta... our l-league!" the gunman faltered.

"W-we've come... too far... to give up... now!" Tifa managed to get out past her chattering teeth.

The pain level was indescribable, but I was more worried about the rest of my team. The mako and Jenova cells in my body made me nearly indestructible on a physical level, but they didn't have that advantage. Focussing on the glow from behind the false Sephiroth, I stammered, "H-Holy is shining... Aerith's prayer... is waiting... for _us_... to make it... happen!"

Just as quickly as the torture began, it stopped, but everything in our field of vision was still wavering before it went black.

When the lights went on again, as it were, I wished we were still in the dark, because the monster that faced us was truly one for the record books. It looked like something Hojo might have stitched together out of a random pile of corpses that included a large bird of prey, a giant humanoid, and an insect or two. Sephiroth's face appeared atop the huge torso, crowned by what looked like a crested helmet featuring a pair of horns. Below the torso was a glowing orb; attached to the rear of that was a sac-like structure. It made me think of an egg-case and I wondered what would slither out if we sliced it open.

As soon as my boots touched a fairly level surface – although it was indistinguishable from the surrounding Lifestream, I was willing to bet that Aerith or Zack had made it possible – I cast barrier magic to protect my team.

"Tifa! Can ya give us all a shot of Restore? My fucking hands are shaking too damn hard to hold my fucking lance!" Cid bellowed.

As soon as the healing energy passed over us, I wheeled around and placed myself in front of her. "I'm counting on you to keep us all healthy."

Tifa didn't protest at being relegated to the back row; instead, she briefly gripped my arm and whispered, "Remember – you have us plus Zack and Aerith, and therefore the Lifestream, on your side. You can do it!"

Nodding to indicate I'd heard when I'd rather have kissed her, I turned to the rest. "Alternate physical attacks with Summons to take this thing down as quickly as possible."

"It carries the scent of Sephiroth," Nanaki said, his hackles ruffling. "But not as much as I would expect if it were truly he."

"So it ain't all of 'im," Barret sneered. "You gotta save yerself, Spiky, fer when th' bastard decides to show up. Yo, Cid, Nanaki – let's do this!"

"Target the wings first, then the head! Here we go!" Cid hollered, his teeth bared in a feral grin as he charged at the monster. While Barret laid down covering fire, he launched himself upwards, whirling his lance before slicing through the left wing, which vaporized. Landing on the creature's shoulder, Cid slashed at the head before grabbing hold of something that certainly looked like an insect's antennae but was probably supposed to be Sephiroth's hair, and swung across the massive chest to attack the other wing. It also disappeared with disturbing ease as he took another swipe at the head and succeeded in severing it before jumping clear. Barret cut loose with his most powerful magic-draining attack and then nailed the monster with multiple blows that destroyed the head and caused the glowing orb to briefly dim.

Then Nanaki unleashed a massive plasma-cannon-like attack that had all of us ducking, before Cid gleefully yelled, "Not bad – my turn! Eat this, asshole! _Highwind_!" Multiple bombs exploded, filling the area with smoke; when it cleared, the monster was looking positively scorched... until the orb glowed brighter. The head regenerated, and we were hit with something that drained us of our energy – the blade of the crystal sword went from white to a disturbing shade of purple.

I cast another barrier, and then Tifa used the Restore materia; the sword turned white again and I realized it broadcast my health at any given time, which could be a problem if anyone else noticed. More importantly, the battle was taking too long, and we were on a deadline.

"Fall back! _Bahamut_!" The dragon Summon messily removed the monster's head and pounded the main body into pulp before it dissipated. Only the glowing orb and egg-sac remained.

"_Dammit_, Spiky!" All barrels blazing, Barret drilled the orb with bullets, then Cid walloped it with a Summon I hadn't seen before.

As the tsunami subsided, the armoured sea creature disappeared and the bizarre version of Sephiroth finally vanished, I dodged Barret's ire by asking Cid, "What was _that_?"

"One o' Yuffie's materia – Leviathan. Did a good job, hey?"

"Should've tried it on that Iron Man – he would've rusted solid."

"I was savin' it for a special occasion."

"Do you have any _other _'special occasion' Summons that we should know about?"

"As a matter o' fact, I do." Plucking a glowing red orb out of his Wizard Bracelet, Cid tossed it to me. "The kid found it in the Whirlwind Maze the first time we were here, but I suspect you could make best use of it."

"Neo Bahamut? That'll _definitely_ come in handy!" Puzzled, I turned to Tifa. "I thought Yuffie gave all her materia to you...?"

"Just the ones belonging to Aerith. Her personal ones must have been included in the pile on board the _Highwind_ this morning." She paused, thinking, then added, "The Kjata was there, too."

Adding the materia to my array with a silent thanks to our absent ninja, I teasingly commented, "It seems a few things have slipped your memory, Cid – first, this sword, and now the materia. You losin' your mind?"

He smirked toothily. "That's _your_ department, boss."

"Does the Lifestream appear... brighter to you?" Tifa asked.

We all inspected the pervasive green liquid. "I believe it does," Nanaki cautiously agreed.

"Then we're weakening Sephiroth's will!" she declared.

"We still haven't killed him," I muttered.

"_Incoming_!"

"Aw, _shit_," Cid grumbled, shading his eyes. "What I wouldn't do for a fucking cuppa tea."

Barret squinted at the oncoming creature. "What the fucking hell...? How many fucking wings does this asshole have?"

"He is _no_ angel," Nanaki rumbled, prowling across the front of our piece of 'firm ground'.

Tifa murmured, "He gave himself wings instead of legs."

"What do you mean?"

"The last time we saw Sephiroth, in the Northern Crater, he had only regenerated himself to the waist." She gestured at her own slim body. "I guess he thinks wings are more god-like."

"Tentacles would be more fucking appropriate," Barret tersely commented, the barrels of his gun-arm spinning. "He even brought his own fucking halo!"

"It smells more strongly of Sephiroth," Nanaki said, "but it is still not entirely him."

The otherworldly creature hovered just above us, its multiple white wings moving gracefully, sending currents of the Lifestream flowing over us. It was definitely the most god-like of Sephiroth's forms; I noted that its right arm was also a wing, this one purplish-black and wondered if it had any significance. His torso was bare, but what really caught my attention was the way his hair moved as if it was a single, broad, pure white strand – and it was undulating like a snake.

A poisonous snake that intended to strike us down.

As Tifa cast a barrier, I quietly ordered, "Barret... Cid... Nanaki – get ready."

"You can count on us, boss." Throwing away his cigarette, Cid raised his lance. "Let's get 'im before he can fuck with us." On cue, a massive flare erupted out of Sephiroth and struck me full on, but the barrier mercifully held. "Looks like the fucker has a gripe or two with you," the pilot cheekily jibed.

"Goin' in." Whirling the crystal sword, I raced in and unloaded a Blade Beam, then barely dodged a smack-down delivered by two of the wings. Nanaki blasted a fireball and managed to singe an entire snow-white pinion. When the wing drooped, Cid attempted to slice it off, but was sent tumbling by a well-timed swipe of the purple-black wing which contained a chaser of dark magic that did _not_ bode well. The pilot staggered, shook his head as if trying to clear it, then suddenly aimed his lance at _us_.

"Cid-san!"

"I've got this! Cover me!" Before I could grab her, Tifa bolted out from behind me and dove straight at the pilot. A shout tore out of my throat when he slashed at her; the deadly edges of the Venus Gospel passed far too close to her for my heart-rate, but she ducked under the weapon and punched him fairly gently in the gut. Following up with a hard smack to the side of the head, she and Nanaki caught hold of his arms and dragged him back to our lines. Safe behind Barret, she healed the pilot and brought him back to consciousness.

"What the fucking fuck _happened_?"

"Sephiroth used Confuse – it was really effective," Tifa replied, helping him up.

Rubbing his head, Cid muttered a string of profanity that turned the Lifestream surrounding him a rather intense shade of blue. Tifa returned to her position behind me, but probably aware of my ire, stayed just out of my reach.

"_Don't_ do that again," I growled, shooting her a fiery look.

She refused to be cowed. "Doing my job," she said, casting another barrier.

"Th' bastard's _powerful_," Barret snarled. "An' he's workin' up to sumthin' _huge_."

Glancing around at my team, I decided desperate measures were required to end this sooner rather than later. "Summon _everything_!"

Ifrit's flames made hypnotizing patterns along those languidly waving wings, then Leviathan's towering wave engulfed Sephiroth before Shiva sealed him inside an icy tomb. Despite suffering massive damage, his winged arm smashed the glittering crystal into razor-edged shards and flung them back at us. Barret fired a covering barrage that disintegrated most of the projectiles; Nanaki employed his Fire magic to melt the rest, showering us in fat water droplets, and Tifa quickly passed around Elixirs.

Sephiroth rose higher above us and cast a protective barrier on himself. Immense energy began coalescing around him, but retreat wasn't an option – and I knew that Tifa's barriers weren't strong enough to handle whatever he was about to throw at us.

Sweet Shiva, it was a _monster_... and I don't mean the type with claws, fangs, and acidic drool.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The moment I regained consciousness due to Nanaki's summoned-at-the-last-possible-moment Phoenix, I knew we wouldn't survive another SuperNova. That knowledge alone would've been enough to make me furious, but it was the frightened expression on Tifa's face as she distributed Megalixirs that pushed me over the edge. Sephiroth remained out of range of my sword... but not of our Summons.

"_Neo_ _Bahamut!_"

"_Highwind!_"

The combination of the dragon's massive flare attack and Cid's multiple warheads forced Sephiroth back down, and the rest of the team took full advantage of his change in altitude.

"_Cosmo Memory!_"

"_Satellite Beam!_"

Nanaki and Barret's paired beam attacks burned away two pairs of Sephiroth's wings when he attempted to use them as shields, leaving him dangerously lop-sided and unable to rise upward.

"Hit him before he can regenerate anything!"

"My turn," Tifa murmured, and then I understood why she was careful to keep her distance from me – so I could stop her from being so damn foolish. That is, until I saw her incredible attack and realized she'd created the perfect opening. I doubt that's what she intended when she sprinted for the listing monster, but I took full advantage. We were _definitely_ going to have a chat about her recklessness afterwards.

"_Final Heaven!_"

I was right behind Tifa when her pile-driver of a glowing punch knocked Sephiroth off-balance, but as he spun away, that damned darkened wing snapped outward, and I felt my energy draining away. Furious that I was so close and might yet be denied, I let out a roar and swung the sword up over my head, then brought it down in a powerful two-handed blow that carved right through the monster from shoulder to hip. As I landed, Tifa grabbed hold of my harness strap and hustled me backwards, casting Restore as we went. Twisting free of her grip, I took a stance and raised my sword.

"_Final Touch!_"

The tornado struck what remained of Sephiroth and tore away everything until he was reduced to a blood-smeared head. The halo flipped forward, encircling the monster's skull like a crown, as feathery remnants of his wings fluttered around us like snow. A blistering white light blinded us, and when we could see again, we were... back in the chamber with the mako pool?

"W-we did it?" I asked.

"Seems so," Barret answered, but he didn't sound convinced.

Nanaki sniffed all the way around the pool, as if trying to track something. "I cannot detect if Holy is working or not."

"Well, boss?" Cid demanded. "The asshole's dead, right?"

"I-I _don't know_," I said helplessly.

"Aerith said he had to be removed..." Tifa bit her lip. "Unless... those things we fought were only _expressions_ of Sephiroth's will!"

"Dummies, ya mean – he was distractin' us?" Barret snarled. "_We_ were the dummies!"

"Come to think of it, he didn't heckle us once," I slowly said. "None of his usual 'you are mere insects to be crushed' crap – oh, _hell_." I couldn't believe it – had Sephiroth screwed me over again? A piercing pain lanced through my head, complete with mocking laugh. Tifa's hands were on my shoulders, then her scent filled my nose and I could think around the agony. I was on my knees, my face pressed against the crook of her neck, her fingers massaging the nape of my neck as she called my name.

"M'here," I slurred.

She cupped my face in her hands. "What happened?"

"Can feel 'im – e's still 'ere..."

"_Cloud!"_

Feeling like I was moving underwater, I shuffled around to look in the direction of the voice, and clearly saw Zack rising out of the mako pool. _Great._ Now I was hallucinating; at least it was someone I actually _wanted_ to see.

My long-dead friend held out his hand, urgency creasing his handsome face as he stood on the water's surface. "_Come on, buddy – we gotta move!_"

"Zack...? What's going on?" Tifa asked nervously.

She could see him, too? Then I wasn't completely out of my mind – not yet, anyways.

He spared her a tense smile that still managed to showcase his dimples. "_Cloud has one more battle with Sephiroth._ _I promise I'll bring him back, but we gotta go, or it'll be too late!_"

Forcing myself upright, I pulled Tifa with me. Kissing her as tenderly as I could under the circumstances, I tried to not crush her with a final hug. Pressing the PHS into her hand, I quietly ordered, "Take the others and start for the surface."

"_Not _without you!" she fiercely protested.

"_Please_, Tifa – I can do this if I know there's a chance you'll survive."

"_But...!_"

Kissing her again, I pried Tifa's fingers loose from my belt and squeezed them, then turned towards Zack.

"Tifa? Who're ya talkin' to... Spiky? What the _hell_ ya doin', fool?"

I trusted Tifa to explain; a huge lump rose in my throat. Saluting my team for the last time, I managed to croak out, "It's been a pleasure serving with all of you." Leaping into the pool, the last thing I heard before the Lifestream closed over my head was Tifa's frantic cry.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**


	22. Endgame

**Disclaimer:** Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix for further adventures.

**A/N: **Hard to believe, but it's The End! A story that I figured would take about a dozen chapters to (re)tell ended up almost double that, but it was a blast and a half to write. The final chapter was posted on May 3 as a tribute to Tifa Lockheart, whose birthday falls on this date.

**Thank you so much to everyone who read, commented and supported the fic; you made the effort all worthwhile!**

**Many, many bouquets of yellow and white lilies** to Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, my wonderful betas who consistently held me to higher standards. They offered praise when earned, encouragement when needed, criticism when necessary, and made this fic the absolute best it could be. Couldn't have done it without either of you!

**Warnings:** The usual nonsense, plus more citrus content about two-thirds of the way through. Also, a complete redesign of the Villa ShinRa into something more palatial; the Original Game's cheerful Spanish plaster exterior coupled to the Victorian log cabin interior gives me the giggles every time I see it.

**Learning Curve Continuum**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Endgame**

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

Luckily I hadn't eaten much, because the twisting, whirling trip through the Lifestream was worse than any carnival ride at the Gold Saucer. Zack was a comforting presence both at my side and at my back, due to the Buster Sword pressing against my shoulder blades. Hallucination or not, having him there gave me the extra courage I needed to face my darkest fears.

I'd left the crystal sword behind. It was me and the Buster against Sephiroth and the Masamune – the same way it had been all those years ago in the reactor.

"_The big guy was right - those other versions that you fought were delaying tactics on Sephiroth's part, but they backfired. He's weakened because of the amount of energy he had to put into creating them, but make no mistake... he's still __extremely__ dangerous._"

I tried to smile. "It's my turn to go up against impossible odds."

He smacked my arm. "_Except this time, the hero's gonna live... or else!_"

"Zack... _thank you_. For _everything_. I... I'm _sorry_ that you... that Aerith..."

A gloved hand gripped my shoulder; for a figment of my imagination, Zack was awfully strong. "_Neither of us blame you for __anything__. No regrets. I mean it, Cloud. There's nothing to forgive – by saving the Planet, you save us as well_."

We whirled around the inside of another wormhole; at any other time, my stomach would be rebelling. I wondered why it wasn't. "Zack... am I really here? Or is this all inside my head?"

"_Bit of both. This battle is mental as much as physical_. _Work on your strategy, Cloud – we're almost at the Planet's core_."

Pulling the Buster Sword off my back, I tested its weight in my hands. I'd used it to protect my loved ones throughout our quest; I would use it now to bring down Sephiroth for the last time. Pressing my forehead to the blade, I tried to block any outside considerations, but despite my best attempts, Tifa's face floated into view, her vivid eyes bright and a confident smile on her lips. An overwhelming desire to protect that smile formed a steely core in my soul, and out of that flared an energy greater than any I'd wielded before.

At that moment, the dizzying ride came to an abrupt end in an eerie black void, and I was facing Sephiroth. His body was complete this time, clad in black boots and trousers, but he was shirtless for some reason. The arrogant smirk and icy green eyes were the same as in my nightmares. He said nothing, his hair blowing in some unfelt breeze, the Masamune pointed at my eye.

Baring my teeth in a snarl, I dropped into a stance and spun the Buster. Brilliant coloured lights exploded, raced up and around the blade, and I _knew_ without a shadow of a doubt that I could take him. Sephiroth responded to my challenge by bringing up the Masamune into an overhand attack position – for all the good it did him. Charging across the short distance between us, I planted my feet and started swinging. The huge blade weighed next to nothing in my hands, and my strikes were shorter, faster and harder than ever before.

Sephiroth appeared stunned at my ferocity; I didn't give him a chance to retaliate, and soon he was dripping blood from over a dozen wounds. Springing into the air, I swung the Buster up over my head – this was it! Sephiroth thrust the Masamune at my chest, with clear intent to skewer me again, but I kicked the blade aside and brought down the Buster like a hammer blow, then retreated out of range.

Blood pouring from his mouth, the monster shot me a look full of such naked hatred that I backed up a few more steps, but if he had any intentions of fighting back, it was too late. Beams of blinding white light began radiating from the wounds I'd inflicted, and his body spasmed as strange red energy slithered away. The final expression on his face just before he completely dissolved was one of shock and possibly horror; I guess he couldn't believe that he'd been bested once again by an 'inferior'.

Putting up the Buster, I looked around at the black void. Was it... growing lighter? Rents appeared in the darkness, and brilliant green flooded in. Twinkling lights danced in the viridian streams, wrapped around me, sparkled in the palm of my hand before twirling up my arm. A silvery laugh close to my ear. "_Thank you, Cloud._"

A feeling of profound peace settled into my heart. "Aerith...?"

"_Ya gotta go, Cloud! Holy's gonna come busting outta here now that the plug's gone!_" Zack's presence reasserted itself.

Unwilling to move just yet, I murmured, "I could stay..."

His blue eyes flashed. "_No way__, buddy. You promised to live out both our lives – to be my living legacy. 'Sides, there's a pretty girl waiting for you, an' she's the type who'd wait her entire __life__ for you to come back. Don't disappoint her_."

Before I could reply, soft white light enveloped me; blinking away my momentary blindness, I saw a pale hand reaching down for me, the slender fingers spreading in silent appeal. Smiling, I stretched upward to touch them...

"_Cloud!_"

I came back to myself with a jolt – literally. A boulder bounced off the heaving rock at my feet and would've taken me out at the knees if I hadn't jumped aside. "What the hell...?"

"Take my hand!" Tears streaked Tifa's face as she strained to reach me. "_Hurry_!" The ledge she was crouching on gave way, dropping her headfirst towards disaster. Launching off of the disintegrating ground, I awkwardly caught her and propelled both of us upwards. I somehow managed to grab a handhold on the sheer rock, but it was literally by my fingertips. Tifa's arms were around my waist and she was clinging with all her might; concentrating, I shifted my grip to include a generous handful of her skirt and belt. Luckily no-one was below us, or they'd be getting quite the panty shot. On second thought, I glanced downward, just to make sure Zack wasn't hanging around – he always was a bit of an opportunist.

We hung there for a few precarious seconds. Below us, the enlarged mako pool seethed, surging upwards several feet before retreating – as if Holy was gathering the Lifestream for the attack on Meteor. Our immediate future looked bleak, because we were too far underground to escape. Too many thoughts ran through my head, but one stuck. "D'you think I'll see her there?" I quietly asked.

"Who?"

"My mom. In the Promised Land."

Tifa pressed her head against my chest. "L-let's go see her," she whispered brokenly.

We both knew the Promised Land was a lie, because we'd experienced the Lifestream, but it was a comforting image to hold onto in what might be our final seconds. It was tempting to just let go, to drop into the gurgling liquid and end it at a time of our choosing... but I couldn't do that, not without a final goodbye.

Tossing Tifa up onto the ledge, I boosted her the rest of the way with my hand under her boot. She was no sooner safe than she pulled me the rest of the way up. Crawling as far away from the crumbling edge as possible, I put my back to the cavern wall and pulled her into my lap.

"You're bleeding." Gentle fingers lightly dabbed at my eyebrow, before Tifa showed me her reddened fingertips.

"Huh. Sephiroth must've caught me with the Masamune. I didn't feel it."

Wiping the blood on her slacks, Tifa turned her face into my throat. "As long as I'm with you, I'm not afraid," she whispered, sliding her arms around my waist and hugging tightly.

My heart lurched; it was now or never. The odds that we wouldn't make it out of here alive were terrifyingly high, and it might be my _only_ chance to let her know that I was serious about a future together. Ironically enough, all those years ago when I'd fantasized about this moment, I'd planned to ask her while wearing my newly-issued SOLDIER uniform.

Pulling off my glove, I delicately stroked her cheek, tilting up her chin so I could see her face. "Marry me," I murmured. "Ever since we were kids, you were the only one for me." Her beautiful eyes shone with unshed tears, and her answer was in her kiss. I tangled handfuls of her hair and prolonged the contact until we were both breathing hard.

"Oi, you two – quit suckin' face and get on that PHS! See if you can raise the _Highwind_!"

Startled, we broke apart - but not very far - to see Cid lighting a cigarette on a ledge across from us, with Barret and Nanaki sprawled beside him. "Good to see you're all safe," I replied, while Tifa hastily pulled the PHS out of her pocket.

"Do you want to talk to Shera?"

"Naw, don't toss it over here – call up that cat, an' see if they can reach us!"

"But... we're so far underground!"

"Don't you worry 'bout that – jus' call!"

Puzzled, but hope blossoming, Tifa activated the PHS and we waited. And waited. Finally, through the heavy static came a familiar accent.

"Hallo, lads an' lassies! Ya ready for pick-up?"

"Yes!"

"On our way!" the cat cheerily reassured, and the connection was broken.

"It's a long way down..." Tifa said, biting her lip as she stared at the receiver in her hand.

"Lady Luck, don't fail me now," Cid muttered, scanning the distant ceiling.

His cigarette dropped out of his mouth as a deep rumble shook the walls, while the rest of us flattened ourselves against the cold, unyielding stone. I pressed Tifa against the wall, shielding her with my body and the sword on my back. "What the hell are they _doing_? Are they trying to kill us instead of saving us?" I growled into her shoulder.

There was a cracking, tearing, rending cacophony and the roof of the cavern collapsed, sending rock hurtling past us into the mako pool... quickly followed by gleaming silver as the _Highwind_ dropped nose-first into the breach. The scantily-clad mascot painted on the fuselage slid past us, coming to rest with one of the hatches only a couple of feet above our heads.

That same hatch flew open a moment later, and I practically threw Tifa into the arms of the crew members reaching for us, then followed with alacrity. We tumbled into a machine room where everything was at a ninety-degree angle and we had to pick our way across steaming pistons and gears until we went through a second hatch and found ourselves on the main deck... which was currently vertical. Cid, Barret and Nanaki poked their heads out of a hatch across from us at almost the same moment, just as Shera shouted over the intercom, "Get in here, Captain! It's coming!"

"All o' ya! Grab onta something and hang on tight!" Cid yelled, swinging out of the door, sliding down the deck and scrambling over the bulkhead into the cockpit. The rest of us followed suit, avoiding the open engine compartment as we skidded after him. The rest of the crew, including Shera and Cait, were strapped to their seats. I grabbed Tifa and we slid across the decking until we collided with the sturdy railing that prevented passengers from getting too close to the bridge windows. Pinning her between me and the nearest stanchion, I braced for the oncoming disaster. Tifa wound her arms around me, burying her face in my chest; I wished I could hold her, but I needed both hands to keep us in place.

Over her head, I had the perfect view of the mako pool through the windows and saw the green glow become streaked with white just as the Lifestream boiled upwards. The _Highwind_ very briefly acted like a cork in a bottle before it was blown backwards by the force of Aerith's defensive attack. The _Highwind_ violently shuddered from bow to stern before it began corkscrewing; over the roar of the Holy-propelled geyser threatening to tear the ship apart, I was fairly sure I heard metal tearing.

I'd survived, only to die in the Planet's counter-attack, which was made possible by my killing of Sephiroth. In what reality would _that_ outcome be considered fair?

Outside the windows, the rocky slope of the Northern Crater was coming up _fast_; Cid's swearing reached a new level of virulence as he struggled to reach a large handle attached to a flashing emergency light. I wondered where Marlene was, because Barret would _really_ not be impressed if she repeated Cid's colourful language.

"_Shit!_" With a desperate lunge, the pilot grasped the handle and pulled. The _Highwind_ immediately went into a spin that made my eyeballs feel like they were being sucked out through the back of my head, but our flight mercifully stabilized and when I could see again, we were streaking through the unnaturally-darkened sky. "Whoo-_hoooo_!" Cid hollered. "Ain't my ship _amazin'_?"

"Course set for Midgar, Captain," Shera said, remarkably unruffled despite what we'd all just gone through. "Holy is ahead of us by approximately two-point-five seconds."

I slowly unclenched my hands from their death grip on the stanchion and instead wrapped my arms around Tifa. Nuzzling her hair, I just breathed for several long moments, at least until Barret stomped over and pointedly offered us a hand up, since we were lying entwined on the now-horizontal deck. However, I didn't let go, and neither did Tifa; instead, Barret hauled both of us upright by my harness straps. Any lecture he might've had brewing vanished when Marlene flew across the cockpit and into his arms.

"_Daddy_." Burrowing into his chest, Marlene hugged for all she was worth. A few moments later, a rather green Elmyra wobbled into the cockpit on the arm of a crewman. Cait gave up his seat for her and she gratefully sank into it, then offered him a place on her lap.

"There it is!" one of the crewmen shouted, pointing. Keeping Tifa tucked firmly against my side, I turned to look out the windows; Barret and Marlene joined us, along with Nanaki.

"_Dammit!_ Fifteen minutes too late!" I exclaimed, slamming my fist onto the railing.

"I don't think fifteen minutes one way or the other would've made a difference," Shera whispered, gaping open-mouthed at the cataclysm engulfing Midgar.

Meteor slowly spun like a blunted drill bit, the chunks of crust blown off by Cid's rocket crackling with red energy as it ground its way through Holy's shimmering barrier. The _Highwind_ steeply banked and took us lower, allowing us a view of the destruction being visited on the city despite Holy's presence. The Sister Ray was crumpled and broken, and we could see large pieces of debris spinning in a bright red miasma, punctuated by explosions.

"Wait a damn minute!" Barret bellowed. "Why isn't Holy stoppin' Meteor?"

"Aerith said that if Meteor was too close when Holy was released, all bets are off," Tifa whispered.

"We gotta _do_ somethin'! People are dyin' down there!"

"_The Upper Plate was successfully evacuated to the Slums before Meteor struck, but several thousand people are now trapped."_

"Reeve? Where are you located?"

"_To the south of Midgar, with the air fleet. Yuffie is with me, but Vincent remained in the city - said he needed to investigate something._"

"What else is wrong?" Tifa asked, alerted by his flat tone.

"_My mother refused to leave the city; said there was no point in escaping if Meteor could destroy the entire Planet_."

"I'm sorry."

"_She's a stubborn woman – must be where I get it from_." Reeve really did sound like he was trying to be brave.

"I hope that she's all right."

"_Thank you, Miss Lockhart_."

Nanaki padded forward. "Midgar is beyond our help, Barret-san. If Holy is unable to stop Meteor, the entire Planet is doomed."

Letting go of Tifa, I abruptly sat down, staring blindly at the deck. After all this... I _still_ wasn't strong enough, or fast enough? Not good enough?

A failure. _Again_.

"What's _that_?" Tifa had knelt beside me, her hands on my shoulder and arm, but she suddenly glanced away, as if something had caught her eye. I didn't bother to look, despair sinking its claws into my heart.

"She's coming," Marlene said confidently, from her perch in the crook of Barret's arm.

"Who is, Marlene-chan?"

"Aerith," came the startling reply. "She's bringing the Lifestream to help."

Bewildered, I met the little girl's calm gaze – and then Marlene smiled knowingly and pointed. Twisting around, I looked through the windows... and couldn't believe my eyes. Far below, glowing against the darkness caused by Meteor, sinuous coils of sparkling green filaments burst out of the Planet's crust and undulated like living things. They grew more numerous with every passing second, lengthening and thickening, converging on Midgar and adding their strength to Holy. Several massive strands looped up alongside the _Highwind_'s prow, but we didn't take evasive action; we didn't need to.

"Zack!" Tifa yelped, pointing; sure enough, the dark-haired SOLDIER waved and grinned, the phantom Buster Sword propped on his shoulder as he rode the Lifestream into battle.

"What ya talkin' 'bout?" Barret grumped. "Ain't nobody there!"

She squeezed my hand while smiling up at him. "Trust me, Zack is out there, and Aerith, too. They said they would help." Bringing her attention back to me, she added, "You did it, Cloud – you made it all possible."

"But I..."

Leaning in, she softly brushed her lips across mine. "My hero."

Too many emotions were whirling through my head, but I had enough sense to shut up and let her kiss me. After several more sweet moments, she tucked her head against my shoulder while cuddling into my side and we watched an incredible panorama of the entire Planet curving away below us. Apparently this new version of the _Highwind_ had the ability to cruise at the very edge of the atmosphere, because above us was an infinite number of stars.

The entire Planet glowed briefly green, intensifying until pieces of Meteor began breaking away and vaporizing. There was a brilliant white flash, and Cid shouted, "Hard a-starboard! We gotta run for it!" The engines kicked in and I was glad we were already sitting down, because everyone else who wasn't already in a chair or hanging onto a railing hit the deck as we fled before the shockwave of Meteor's destruction.

A few minutes later, on the other side of the Planet, Cid let out a gusty exhale. "We're in th' clear - we made it."

We crested the top of the world and flew over the Northern Continent, heading south. The Crater appeared off our port wing, now just an empty shell; I wondered if it would continue to affect the local weather. If not, Icicle Inn would have to rename itself as Forest Inn and find something other than winter sports to attract visitors.

"Wouldja lookit that," Barret breathed as we crossed the straits between the Northern and Eastern Continents, to the east of Kalm. The glow of the Lifestream was already fading, the thousands upon thousands of strands returning beneath the Planet's crust; my chest tightened at the thought of Zack and Aerith disappearing once again into the seething mass of souls.

"I think it is fair to say that mako is now untenable as a fuel source," Nanaki commented. "The Planet will need a new type of energy."

"AVALANCHE is out of a job," the big man agreed. "An' about damn time." Running his hand over his cropped hair, he ruminated, "Might hafta take up prospectin' fer oil or somesuch."

"Don't start lookin' for work just yet," Cid said, gesturing out the windows. The sky was steadily lightening as Meteor's artificial darkness dissipated, and the tangled, smoking mess that was Midgar became horrifyingly apparent. "We got a job t' do here."

A burst of static, and then a familiar voice crackled out of Cait's chest. "_Highwind__, this is Vincent Valentine – do you copy?_"

"Oi, Vinnie – you okay?"

"_How close are you to Midgar?_"

We all noticed that he'd ignored the question of personal condition. Cid frowned as he replied, "Where are ya?"

"_Sector Eight... I think._"

"Can ya send up a flare, or somethin'?"

There was a long pause. "_Prepare the Infirmary to accept wounded_."

"'kay," the pilot grunted. "How many?"

"_Too many_."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

It wasn't until Tifa stumbled over her own feet and actually fell against the _Highwind_'s bulkhead that I stopped to think about how much time had elapsed since the Lifestream had defeated Meteor. My own reactions were slower than usual, because I barely managed to break her fall. Knocking the Buster loose from the holder on my back, I flinched when it toppled to the deck with a loud, metallic clang. When I picked her up, I had to brace myself against the same bulkhead because my knees were suddenly weak – or maybe they'd been that way for a while, but I just noticed it?

Clumsily slinging her arms around my neck, Tifa slurred, "N' feelin' good."

"We're just tired," I mumbled, trying to figure out a place to sit down with her, but my brain wasn't working very well. The Chocobo Stable and the Operations Room were packed full of evacuees, the 'A' and 'B' watches had given up their cabins for the wounded overflowing from the Infirmary and were now squashed into 'C' cabin with Shera, Elmyra and Marlene. That left the cockpit, and I forced my unsteady legs in that direction.

The catwalk posed a considerable hazard, and my attempt to cross it in my condition would undoubtedly ended in disaster if two of the aircrew hadn't rescued us. "Wait, boss!"

Tifa was a dead weight, and I was in danger of losing my grip on her when the radioman caught hold of my belt with one hand and helped support her legs with the other. The relief pilot braced my other arm, and guided all of us to safety on the other side. "Sorry – not sure why I'm so wrecked," I muttered.

They exchanged glances as we negotiated the stairs. "You've been going steady for over thirty-six hours straight, boss," the radioman explained. "No wonder you can barely stand up!" Once inside the moonlit cockpit, they led us over behind the helm, where the solid walls of the fuselage ended and the glassed-in nacelle began. "Hang on tight for a sec, boss." While they scampered off to retrieve something, I propped up the wall and dazedly admired the starry expanse outside.

Opening two packed parachutes, they pulled out what seemed to be acres of silvery moonbeams. Folding one parachute into a billowy mattress that completely filled the floor space behind the helm, they offered the other as a silken coverlet. "Not a lot of padding, but it's warm and dry."

"Thanks, guys. That'll _definitely_ do." Too tired to even take off my boots, I simply walked into the middle of the shimmering pile and lay both of us down in an untidy heap. Pulling a generous swathe of fabric over us, I was asleep before my head touched the deck.

I was awakened once during the night by a warm body colliding with my back; cracking an eyelid to peer over my shoulder, I recognized Yuffie's sweater. Rolling onto my back, I awkwardly patted her leg and was acknowledged with a whimper. More rustling, a distinctive tinkling and a gentle glow advertised Nanaki's arrival. Next thing I knew, there was a large muzzle rooting beneath my neck; as soon as I raised my head to glare blearily at the owner of the appendage, Nanaki scooted closer. Using my teammate as a pillow felt kinda odd, but Yuffie was already snoring into his shoulder, so I mumbled my thanks before passing out again.

Just before dawn, something small and sharp-kneed scrambled across my legs and wormed its way in between Yuffie and me. Marlene snuggled hard into my chest and promptly fell fast asleep; after a moment processing her arrival, I pulled the silk covering us over her as well. Tifa woke up enough to fondly pat the child's arm, and ended up linking hands with her. I hugged both of them and managed to drift off again.

The sun was streaming through the nacelle's canopy when I finally woke up for good, and it definitely wasn't first thing in the morning, despite the aroma of good coffee tickling my nose.

"The boss has collected himself quite a harem," Cid chuckled, and I focussed my eyes enough to see him and Barret hanging over the helm, steaming mugs in hand.

"The ladies love a man in uniform," Barret solemnly averred.

Glancing around at the assorted women of various ages currently snuggling on and around me, a lump rose in my throat. "More like a family than a harem," I managed to croak. The two men gravely toasted my words.

"Since when am _I _counted as a female?" Nanaki grumbled, raising his head.

"Yer not," Yuffie agreed, her voice muffled in his fur. "Yer a teddy bear."

"I am not a bear, either," he replied, nipping her ear.

"What _are _ya, exactly?" Cid wanted to know.

Nanaki adopted a regal pose, crossing his front paws at the joints. "I am _me_, and none other."

"Ain't that the truth," Barret affably agreed.

Taking Yuffie's presence into consideration, I asked, "Where's Vincent?"

"Introducin' hisself to Miz Elmyra. Ya comin' outta that cocoon any time soon, Spiky?"

"As you pointed out, I'm surrounded by beautiful girls - why should I?"

"Geez, Cloud – smooth as ever," Yuffie snorted, rolling over to face me and discovering Marlene. "Who's _this_ cutie?"

"M'daughter," Barret replied, beaming.

"She's _adorable_!"

As Barret visibly swelled with paternal pride, Tifa muzzily added, "_Especially_ when she's asleep."

"Same principle applies to you, brat," I said to Yuffie, who stuck out her tongue.

Tifa shifted upwards to plant a kiss on my cheek and then reached to ruffle Yuffie's bangs. "Welcome back."

"_Never_ thought I'd ever say this about _any_ moving object, but I'm glad to be back on board the _Highwind_," the teen grinned, then sobered. "Midgar's a mess, huh?"

"Be a while before anyone can live there again," I agreed, running my fingers through Tifa's hair and removing bits and pieces of debris. Her voice was worryingly raspy, but then we were _all_ in rough shape.

"Midgar will be abandoned," Vincent said, arriving around the corner of the helm. Handing Yuffie a mug of what smelled like hot chocolate, he continued, "Reeve already has people designing a new city."

"No Upper an' Lower _anything_ this time," Barret rumbled with satisfaction. "One single city – _not_ powered by mako."

"Can't wait to see it," Tifa murmured; I wondered if she was thinking about her wish to build a new 7th Heaven.

Shera appeared, carrying two mugs that were clearly intended for Tifa and me; once my girl sat upright and freed my arm, I was about to manoeuvre Marlene into my lap when Yuffie patted the area that she had just vacated. "Put her here," she invited.

"Do you mind?" I asked Nanaki.

"Cubs are to be cherished," he replied, curling his body so that Marlene was nestled comfortably against his side; she made a little discontented mewling sound, so Yuffie pulled a flap of the parachute silk over her and Nanaki immediately began that purring sound to soothe her.

"Thank you, Shera," I said, gratefully accepting the steaming mug... and then realized just how bad we must have looked. Her hands were clean and her lab coat remained more or less white, despite the hours I knew she'd spent assisting the medical team. I suddenly felt in need of a thorough scrubbing; 'filthy' didn't quite begin to cover it. Flicking at the grime encrusting my sweater, I muttered, "What I wouldn't give for a couple of days off..."

"Funny you should mention that, boss," Cid said, grinning toothily. Snagging Shera by the waist, he planted a noisy smooch on her cheek. "Once we deliver this load of evacuees to Mideel, we're ordered to Costa Del Sol for some R & R."

Tifa's head flew up, her eyes wide. There was a large dirty smudge on her cheek that was probably from my sweater. "But there's so much to do...!"

"Reeve says, an' I quote, 'There's months of rebuilding to come, so pace yerselves'. He has things under control, thanks to them Turks an' the military pitchin' in, so we have ourselves what's known as a 'breathing space'." Not relinquishing his grip on a brightly-blushing Shera, he smirked. "We're gonna be guests o' the Villa ShinRa!"

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Oh, goodness... how far along are you, ma'am?"

"Thirty-eight weeks."

"I think we'd better have you in the maternity ward – don't want to take any chances. Orderly! We need a wheelchair for this lady!"

Julia Darrow blew her hair out of her eyes while continuing to make notes on a clipboard. She appeared much like the rest of us; too little sleep and too much to do. Her boyfriend's dog-tags dangled outside her blouse, glinting in the sunshine, and they were the main reason why I was helping Dr. Lassiter on the other side of the impromptu triage area outside the clinic as he worked his way through the stretcher cases. Tifa was back on the _Highwind_ after her earlier, highly traumatic encounter with the young nurse. Julia had recognized her – sort of.

After the most badly-wounded cases were admitted, Julia had cornered Tifa. "Excuse me – do you have a brother?"

"_No_," came the too-quick reply.

"You look _just_ like a Third Class SOLDIER named Teo Laurence," Julia sighed, shaking her head. "It's remarkable – your eyes, even your smile is the same!" While Tifa nodded, her smile strained, Julia continued burbling. "Seriously, though, you could be sister and brother! I can't believe the resemblance!" Tifa had escaped from the conversation as soon as politeness allowed and fled back to the airship, where she was hopefully being fussed over by Elmyra and Marlene.

"How are you feeling, Commander?" Dr. Lassiter asked, bringing me back to the present.

"I've been better," I replied. "Haven't slept much in the last few days."

He inspected my battered appearance with a professional eye. "You look like hell."

"You should see the other guy."

"Did you fight Sephiroth?"

"A few times. Wannabe gods don't go down easy."

"Thanks for saving our lives," he said, solemnly shaking my hand. "Now I have to find another bottle of cognac for the next big occasion... hopefully less dramatic than the end of the world."

"Let me know when you find one, and I'll help you drink it."

"We finally regained contact with ShinRa this morning, just in time to find out about your arrival." Lifting the edge of a blood-soaked blanket covering one victim, he peered underneath, shook his head at the stretcher bearers, and hooked his thumb in the direction of the morgue. "Who's this 'Reeve Tuesti' that's now running the show?"

"He's a good guy – a ShinRa insider, so he knows where all the bodies are buried, er, so to speak," I answered distractedly, watching as the stretcher with its sad burden was handed over to the clinic's orderlies. "If anyone can get the Planet working again, it's him."

"He wasn't shy about singing your team's praises. Midgar's bad?"

"About a hundred miles beyond 'bad'. We dug people out of the rubble for thirty-six hours straight, and recovery teams are still looking." Rubbing my hand over my face, I added, "These people are the lucky ones."

Peering over his glasses, Lassiter warned, "Make sure you take care of yourself. You won't be immune to the mental stresses caused by the things you've seen these past few days."

Suddenly feeling extremely tired, I admitted, "I've enough nightmare-fuel to last the rest of my life."

As Lassiter moved on to the next patient, he said, "It's a helluva business, Commander. When all this is over, make sure you come back this way; your aunts and cousins would love to meet you."

"I'll do that," I promised, and meant to keep it.

"Also, since you're the last survivor of Project G, I'd like to keep an eye on your health. Anything changes, you let me know."

"Like what?"

"I don't know – strange rashes or bruising that won't go away, chronic headaches, wings or horns sprouting in strange places..."

"You're kidding, right?" All I could think of was Sephiroth's final forms, and they were kinda horrifying, to say the least.

Lassiter cracked a grin. "You're a unique individual, Cloud Strife – you're doomed to have an interesting life."

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

After our stop on Mideel, instead of flying straight to Costa del Sol, we were diverted to Wutai. Reeve contacted the ship with a message from Godo, who was frantic for news of his daughter. Yuffie was reluctant to leave us – she was probably thinking of all the potential loot at the Villa Shinra - but Tifa pointed out that the country needed its White Rose to rally around in this time of stress, and that her father obviously missed her. To sweeten the deal, I let her choose a few materia so she wouldn't go back empty-handed, and she was fairly cheerful when she disembarked. My ribs were bruised from her ferocious hug, which had followed her terse command to 'Look after Tifa, you jerk!'

Vincent had patiently endured Yuffie's goodbye embrace, resting his hand on top of her head while she unsuccessfully tried to wheedle a promise to visit out of him. He then took us by surprise when he chose to jump ship over Nibelheim; our altered course had taken us close to the town. "I am forever connected to this spot," he said quietly, before sliding down the rope to the ground; I wondered if and when we'd ever see him again.

"The place looks deserted," Tifa observed as we watched Vincent stride towards the gates. There was a definite lack of movement on the ground, aside from our gunslinger's cloak.

"They were all ShinRa employees; I'll bet they packed up and headed for home once Meteor arrived."

"I suspect that Vincent-san wishes to be close to Lucrecia-sama," Nanaki said; Cid and Barret's heads bobbed in agreement.

"What do you mean?"

"While you and Cloud-san were in the Lifestream, we fought several running battles across the Planet with the Weapon that emerged from Mideel's harbour. During the course of those skirmishes, we discovered a cave under a waterfall not far from Nibelheim. It is Lucrecia-sama's resting place."

"She's... dead...?" Tifa whispered.

"No. Lucrecia-sama sealed herself into a crystal to atone for her sins as the mother of Sephiroth."

"How is _that_ a sin?" I demanded. "Aside from having poor taste in husbands?"

"She agreed to the experiment on her unborn child... and after his birth, she was not permitted to hold him, not even once. She regrets many things." Nanaki fixed me with a thoughtful gaze. "Lucrecia-sama believes that she has been cursed with a type of immortality due to the Jenova cells in her body. You may also be affected by this condition, Cloud-san."

_Great_. Something else to add to Dr. Lassiter's list of potential problems. "Thanks for telling us."

He nodded and lifted his head, scenting the wind. "I believe that Vincent-san intends to support Lucrecia-sama as she mourns for her son."

Shortly after this unsettling conversation, an urgent request from Cosmo Canyon had us swinging by Junon to pick up a load of food and medical supplies. The Canyon was now housing several hundred refugees from Midgar, and its resources were strained by all the extra mouths. Shortly after we arrived, we discovered that Bugenhagen had passed away while we were fighting our way into the Crater. Nanaki was _devastated_, to say the least, and disappeared into the Observatory. Marlene slipped away and went looking for him while we unloaded the cargo; we found the two of them sitting on the couch in Bugenhagen's living quarters, Nanaki's massive head on the little girl's lap, his one eye closed as she combed his mane while humming softly.

I wanted to copy him and lay my head in Tifa's lap for some soothing, but Barret had other ideas. The Shildra Inn was doing a roaring business, and Barret was determined to make good on his long-ago promise to the deceased members of AVALANCHE before the inn's cellar ran dry.

"C'mon, Spiky – we're goin' fer a drink."

I wasn't in the mood, but I knew how much this meant to him, so we left Marlene with Elmyra and Cait, and headed over to the inn. Tifa linked arms with both me and Barret; Cid, Shera and Nanaki were close behind. The place was packed and _loud_, but silence rapidly fell as we entered. The crowd parted in front of us, and the occupants of a table against the rear wall hastily vacated their seats. We hesitated, keenly aware of our lack of weaponry, and almost reflexively adopted defensive positions.

"Three cheers for the saviours of the Planet!"

The grinning barkeep pumped his fist in the air, and the roof practically came off from the enthusiastic applause. Two smiling waitresses escorted us to the cleared table, but it was slow going due to all the hand-shaking and back-slapping, then drinks and snacks arrived as everyone in the place nearly fell over themselves buying rounds. It was all extremely overwhelming, but one look at Barret kept me in my seat instead of sloping off to a quieter location. The big man kept wiping his eyes as he exchanged pleasantries with well-wishers, and I knew Jessie, Biggs and Wedge were foremost in his thoughts.

Cid was in his element; his arm around Shera and a drink in his hand, he raucously entertained listeners with only slightly embroidered tales of our adventures. Nanaki gravely accepted the acclaim as well as repeated condolences for his grandfather; he sat a little apart from us, the centre of his own rapt audience as he spoke of the Lifestream and the challenges now facing the Planet.

It was strange; I finally had what I thought I wanted – recognition, adulation, respect – but instead of exhilaration, I felt... empty. Too many lives had been lost in order to reach this point.

Tifa slipped her hand into mine and shifted closer; the attention and the noise were also taking a toll on her. "I'm about ready to fall over," she whispered.

Squeezing her fingers, I murmured, "Just a bit longer."

"I never thought I'd be trying to skip the victory party," she replied, wanly smiling.

It took a couple of hours to extricate ourselves from the happy crowd, and by the time we reached the _Highwind_'s ladder, the sun was setting. The crew was in the process of lowering Nanaki's bosun's chair when he cleared his throat.

"I shall remain here. My people need me."

Barret opened his mouth to protest, but shut it again. "Will ya say good-bye to Marlene?"

"Of course."

Marlene was allowed to ride down in the bosun's chair, and then there were more tears despite Nanaki's reassurances that she would see him again. I choked up a bit, too; our team was dissolving around me and my chest felt hollow. When the crew finally cast off the _Highwind_'s mooring lines, I stayed up on the deck for a while and let the pummelling headwind be the excuse for any moisture on my face.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

"Here we are, ladies an' gents, Caits an' girls! Costa del Sol, ahoy!"

Tifa barely raised her head from my shoulder to blearily peer out the cockpit windows. "That's not the beach...?"

"We're at the ShinRa aerodrome behind the town," I replied, watching as a large black limousine with a discreet red-and-gold logo on the rear door rolled across the tarmac. "They sent a car for us."

"Thank the gods we don't have to walk."

"I'd carry you."

She managed a crooked smile. "Thanks."

Unfolding my legs with an effort, I managed to heave both of us upright from where we were propping up the helm, but had to grab hold of the railing when we swayed dangerously. "I hope the Villa has _lots_ of hot water," Tifa murmured, brushing ineffectually at the dirt blotching her skin. "Shower, then bed?"

"Sure."

Cid's co-pilot landed the _Highwind_ with the gentlest of bumps, since our captain was several sheets to the wind by the time we left Cosmo Canyon. While the ship was being secured, we stumbled to the cabin to retrieve our knapsacks and weapons, then assembled on deck. The rope ladder was already unfurled over the side, the crew standing by with the bosun's chair for Elmyra and Marlene.

Down below, an honour guard formed up, creating an avenue leading to the limo. "Dunno 'bout you, Spiky, but it feels fucking _weird_ ta be on the same side as them fellas," Barret muttered upon catching sight of their ShinRa uniforms.

"It's a fresh start," Tifa interjected. "We all worked together to save the Planet, so live and let live."

"How 'bout that fucking red-headed Turk?" he demanded, a dark glint in his eye.

She bit her lip and thought long and hard before her shoulders slumped. "Even him."

"Damn. Was lookin' forward to kickin' his skinny ass."

"What are we waitin' for? C'mon – the Villa awaits!" Cid jovially boomed, then led the way over the side, followed by Shera. We followed in fits and starts, waiting with Marlene and Cait on deck until Elmyra was safely on the ground, then sending the little girl and the stuffed cat over the side in the bosun's chair. Barret had collected all three of them and walked them to the car before I descended the ladder, my scalp prickling at my back being exposed to the troopers' guns, and had to really fight my instincts to not unsheathe the Buster the moment my boots touched the ground.

Tifa arrived behind me, and then her warm hand wrapped around my arm as we warily inspected the nattily turned-out honour guard. Their uniforms were all neatly pressed, their boots shined to a mirror polish, their posture almost painfully rigid as they stood at full attention. The Second Class leading them shouted, "_Present_ - _arms_!" and they smartly obeyed, their rifles snapping exactly perpendicular as he saluted with his sword.

I admit it; I had Ifrit in my hand the entire time as we walked between them. Old habits die hard.

"Commander Strife!"

Slowly pivoting, I fixed the officer with a steady gaze. "Yes?"

He doffed his helmet and tucked it under his arm, then bowed deeply; his long black ponytail slid over his shoulder. "On behalf of my men and their families, our heartfelt thanks for saving the Planet."

"You're welcome," Tifa graciously replied as the officer straightened, revealing distinctly Wutain features. He inclined his head, appearing abashed at omitting the rest of the team, and I couldn't help thinking that he looked somehow familiar. His troopers burst into cheers and Tifa smiled sweetly as she blushed, causing a fresh wave of verbal enthusiasm. Raising my hand in acknowledgement, I ushered her into the car, where we squashed in beside Cid and Shera.

Sliding the Buster along the floor, I pulled Tifa onto my lap, ignoring her half-hearted protest of 'not in front of Marlene'. Since Cid and Shera were contentedly snuggling beside us, I didn't see that it was much of an issue. Besides, Marlene was half-asleep, cuddling into the crook of Barret's arm, while Cait lounged on Elmyra's lap. Tifa glanced around at the other occupants and sensibly stopped fussing; she was asleep on my shoulder before the limo left the airfield. Costa del Sol's streets were quiet, and in no time we were rolling through the wrought-iron gates of the Villa ShinRa.

It was surreal.

Beyond the high fence, the sea glistened in the moonlight. Inside were lush gardens, statuary, ponds and fountains, glimpsed as the car followed a broad gravelled drive up to the mansion. The façade was covered with fancy brickwork, elegant white columns stretching from the semi-circular porch all the way up to the towering roofline. The tall, multi-paned windows glowed softly from within, their light sources obscured by gauzy curtains, and they were flanked by crisp white shutters that appeared as practical as they were decorative.

"Quite the place, eh?" Cid said, his tone uncharacteristically subdued.

The large front door opened as the car came to a stop, and a half-dozen servants filed out, forming a liveried welcoming committee. A round, lace-trimmed woman of formidable appearance took up a position at the head of the broad staircase as the driver came around to open the door.

Gripping the Buster's hilt, I murmured, "I'll go first."

"Stand down, Spiky. Reeve ain't gonna send us nowhere that ain't safe." Proving his point, Barret sent Marlene and Cait outside as soon as the door opened, then ushered Elmyra out.

"We're the heroes o' the fucking Planet, boss. Enjoy the novelty while it lasts, because we'll be yesterday's news soon enough." Cid saluted, handed out Shera ahead of him, and then it was just me and my girl.

"He's right, you know." Tifa brushed a kiss across my cheek, slid out of my lap, and followed the pilot. It might have been rude, but I led with the Buster as I exited, making sure everyone had a good look at the blade before I slapped it onto my back. "You're glowering," Tifa whispered.

"Can't help it."

"Welcome to Villa ShinRa!" the round woman announced, casting a frankly unimpressed eye over our rag-tag group.

Cait Sith adjusted his crown, took Marlene by the hand and ascended the stairs with regal mien. "_Good evening, Madame Richler_," he said, his voice deep and sonorous. "_I'm sure you recall our conversation of this morning?_"

Madame Richler blinked rapidly, then took a closer look at the stuffed cat. "Mr. Tuesti?" she quavered.

"_Yes_. _These people are not only my friends, but also saved the Planet from Meteor. They are __very__ special guests_."

"Oh! Of _course_ we will make sure that your friends are well looked after!" Rallying, she bobbed a curtsey to Cait Sith. The cat gestured us forward, and we trailed up the wide stairs in his wake.

The entryway featured marble floors and the biggest crystal chandelier I'd ever seen. Twin curving staircases with wrought-iron balustrades gave access to the upper floors, and intricately carved wall panels cast delicate shadows from the light of etched-glass candle sconces. All together, it was the fanciest place I'd ever been in, and I was immediately conscious of my dirty clothing.

"Quite frankly, I expected more gold leaf," Tifa commented, eyeing a marble statue of a dainty nymph twining flowers in her hair.

"Please leave your clothing in the baskets inside the room. Brunch will be served buffet-style out on the terrace. Pleasant dreams!" Madame Richler bobbed another curtsey before bustling away; we were taken charge of by the liveried servants, escorted up the staircases and assigned rooms in one wing.

After the staff disappeared back down the stairs, Cid mimicked Madame Richler's simpering tones. "You heard th' lady – pleasant dreams!" _Then_ he smirked naughtily. "Oi – if this room's rockin', don't come knockin'!"

"If your snoring is _that_ loud, people will have a right to complain!" Shera tartly replied before pushing him through the open door. "See you in the morning!" We chorused our goodnights, then Tifa gave Cait an affectionate pat and scooped up Marlene for a hug. While she was planting kisses on both Barret and Elmyra's cheeks, the little girl marched over to me; it looked like she meant business.

Going down on one knee, I looked her in the eye. "What is it, squirt?"

"Are you Tifa's boyfriend now?" she demanded.

"Yes."

Cocking her head to one side, Marlene contemplated this for a moment. "Do you promise to look after her?"

I met Tifa's abashed gaze. "For the rest of my life."

"Good. Because Tifa's looked after me an' Daddy an' everybody _else_ ever since I was a baby, and it's time someone looked after _her_." Small arms wrapped around my neck and Marlene hugged fiercely; I was briefly reminded of Yuffie as I returned the heartfelt squeeze.

Raising my hand, I solemnly intoned, "I promise."

Marlene nodded with equal gravity before crossing the hall, taking Tifa by the hand and escorting her back to me. "You have to kiss now," she declared, putting Tifa's hand in mine, and I complied, Tifa blushing the entire time. In the weirdest but best possible way, it felt like we'd just had a real ceremony; all that was missing was a ring.

Elmyra was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "How wonderful," she sighed. "Be good to each other."

"Always." Kissing Tifa again, I ruffled Marlene's hair. "Thank you." She beamed a huge, happy smile, hugged Tifa around the legs and skipped back to Barret. Another round of goodnights, and everyone retired to their rooms. Pushing open our door, I stepped in first to give the place a once-over, noting a small table and two chairs set up in front of the window, then frowned at the pillow-strewn four-poster occupying the opposite wall. "Why does that look familiar...?"

Tifa squeezed past me, dropped our knapsacks on the floor beside a tall laundry basket, and inspected the heavily-carved piece of furniture. "It's a twin to the bed at the Ghost Inn, just without a canopy."

"Also hopefully without fake vampires and trip wires."

She chuckled tiredly as she removed her boots and socks, leaving them beside the knapsacks, and began exploring the suite. Closing the door, I discovered that it lacked locks, and short of using the Buster as a massive pin, it meant that we were leaving ourselves open to attack.

"Cloud – come see this!" Giggling, Tifa beckoned from another doorway.

Consumed by worst-case scenarios, I reluctantly shucked my footwear and socks and padded across the room to see what had amused her. The thick carpet felt good under my bare feet, and I had perked up somewhat by the time I entered what proved to be a luxuriously-appointed bathroom that looked like something you'd find in a high-end brothel. Not that I'd ever been in one, but _still_.

"Does ShinRa buy _everything_ in bulk?" Tifa chortled.

I shook my head at the gilded, multi-branched candelabrum standing next to the vast, claw-footed tub. "Does that mean the Ghost Inn is decorated in 'Early Villa Shinra', or the other way around?"

"I think you'll like _this _shower." Smiling, she pointed at the open stall taking up most of one wall, an elaborate pattern of tiny, black-and-white tiles marking a generous rectangle on the floor. A nearby console was stacked with a generous amount of folded towels. "Oh, I can't _wait_ to be clean!"

As she unzipped her sweater, I said, "Go ahead; I'll wait."

"Eh...?" Immediately concerned, she laid her hands on my chest. "What do you mean?" she asked, searching my face.

"The door doesn't lock, and I'm not taking any chances."

"Oh, Cloud..." Sliding her fingers under my harness straps, she sighed softly before murmuring, "The war's over. You can let down your guard." When I avoided her earnest gaze, she gently tugged on the straps and quietly added, "_Please_."

Only someone made of stone could deny her, and I'm not that man. Surrendering with fairly good grace, I stashed the Buster outside the bathroom door and let Tifa undress me. I nearly objected when she tossed our filthy clothes into the bedroom – fighting naked is _not_ my style – but my protest died on my lips when she pulled the tie from her hair and turned on the water, then stepped under the stream.

My libido certainly appreciated the way her skin glistened in the flickering candlelight, and how her wet hair clung to her curves. Slicking her bangs back from her face, Tifa blushed a little when she caught sight of my arousal, but beckoned anyways, and I obeyed.

This was a _helluva_ lot better than the last shower we shared.

Tifa slid her arms around me, moulding her body against mine, and we simply stood under the hot water for several minutes, letting the warmth saturate our bodies. Contentedly nuzzling the crook of her neck, I allowed my concerns to drain away and instead focussed on the woman in my embrace. She was making these little humming sounds as her hands smoothed up and down my back, pressing kisses to my chest, completely relaxed and happy. Carefully gathering a handful of dark hair, I tilted back her head and kissed her. It was long and deep, growing in intensity until we were trying to find ways of fitting more closely together.

Sliding my hands beneath her, I lifted her off her feet and pressed her against the tiled wall. Her legs immediately wrapped around my waist, pulling me a little _too_ close, and we both went very, very still as the potential repercussions filtered through the haze of arousal.

"Um, I need to wash my hair," she breathlessly announced, and we carefully disentangled ourselves. However, it turned out that hair-washing was even more arousing when you have Tifa's firm ass pressed against your crotch and her hair swirling around your erection as she rinses the shampoo out of her eyes. I couldn't help it; gripping her hips, I slowly ground against her until my knees were shaking.

Then she leaned back against me and slipped her arms up behind my neck, encouraging a whole new level of exploration. Cupping her breasts, I fondled her budding nipples until she was moaning audibly, her hips moving sensually until I could hardly think straight. At one point, she shifted her feet further apart in an effort to help our balance because we were teetering dangerously, and I took full advantage to play with her.

The water was slick and so was she, but on an _entirely_ different level. She writhed and pleaded as I slowly stroked her most intimate places, the sensations of skin sliding over skin almost too much. I was so hard it _hurt_ by the time she rose up onto her toes, her head falling back against my shoulder, her body fairly trembling with the need for release... but instead of taking her over that edge just yet, I decided to try something I'd wanted to do with her for – well, a _really_ long time.

Confusion was writ large on her sweet face when I turned her in my arms - until she saw something in my expression. "C'mon," I rumbled, turning off the water and drawing her towards the console. She came willingly, never taking her eyes off my face as I draped both of us in towels. I took my time to blot every drop of water, pressing kisses to the warm, damp skin as I worked my way down her body until I knelt at her feet. Circling her slim ankle with my fingers, I rested her foot on my palm; when I laid a path of kisses upwards towards the apex of her thighs, she inhaled sharply but didn't move away. Encouraged, I repeated the attention to her other leg before rising to my feet.

Giving myself a cursory wipe-down, I dropped the towels onto the floor before sweeping her into my arms and carrying her out into the bedroom. Tifa said nothing, not even when I tumbled her among the pillows, just continued watching me with wide, dark eyes. Following her onto the bed, I crouched over her for a few seconds, simply admiring her, before slowly lowering myself until we were pressed snugly together the full length of our bodies.

She was soft and welcoming and smelled so damn _good_ that I simply breathed in her warm skin-scent for a while, more to calm my raging libido than anything else. However, as soon as I began licking and kissing her breasts, and her hips began slowly rocking, my arousal came roaring back. Trailing kisses down over her satiny belly, I reached my goal and nuzzled into her short curls. Tifa let out a startled squeak and she tensed; when I looked up, she was blushing furiously, her hand sliding over her hip as if to block my intent.

"_Please_," I rasped, desperately wanting to taste her.

Reaching down, she touched my face; she told me months later that my expression at that moment was downright feral. Finally, she nodded and some of the tension left her frame. Settling in between her thighs, I began exploring her with my mouth... and her enthusiastic reaction was incredibly gratifying. Tifa gasped, whimpered and sighed while I tested the best ways to make her breathing hitch and her hips move. Teasing her sweet spot with my tongue, I revelled in the way she moaned my name just before her body tightened and she clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle an honest-to-goddess scream.

Reluctantly leaving my new favourite place, I kissed my way back up her trembling body, making it as far as her breasts before her hands clasped around the back of my neck and Tifa pulled me the rest of the way. "That was _incredible_," she gasped before passionately attacking my mouth. Knowing that she was tasting herself and didn't seem to mind ratcheted my desire up several notches.

Coming up for air, I looked towards the door to gauge the distance between the bed and our knapsacks, and thereby how long it would take me to retrieve the condoms, then bit back a curse when I realized that our bags were gone. Twisting to look in the other direction, I couldn't believe that I didn't notice someone collecting our clothes from outside the bathroom door.

_Shit._

The Buster was where I'd left it, but at some point while we were too busy to notice, our gear, including most of our materia, had been lifted.

Not to mention the means of safely consummating our love-making, _dammit_.

Unaware of our predicament, Tifa found new ways to make me crazy. When her tongue flicked my nipple, I groaned and pressed into the provocative contact. Unfortunately, it just made our situation more acute... until I noticed the drawer in the bedside table. If we were really, really lucky, the Villa ShinRa would have _all_ the bases covered. The drawer handle was just out of reach, and I had to partially roll off of her in order to investigate.

"Cloud...?"

"Gimme a minute." Yanking open the drawer, I momentarily exulted at the sight of a box neatly packed with two rows of small, square packages, until the design on the front registered and sent me on an unscheduled trip down memory lane.

"Is something wrong?"

"No; just more proof that ShinRa buys in bulk." Retrieving one of the condoms, I showed Tifa the distinctive red-and-gold packaging. "When we went on leave in Sector Eight, we were issued condoms exactly like these - five for officers, three for enlisted men – and given a chit for an army-approved brothel."

"But... you never used them..."

"I sold 'em to the rest of my squad. Three gil per condom, five for the chit. Sent some of the money to my mom, kept some to treat myself - went to see 'Loveless' a couple of times."

"Really? What was it like?"

"I didn't get it," I sheepishly confessed. "Zack came with me the second time; he was snoring by the end of the prologue."

Tifa tittered softly. "It has something to do with a goddess, right?"

"There's only one goddess _I'm_ interested in worshipping," I murmured, leaning in for a kiss; she was a pretty shade of pink when I pulled back. I was able to apply the condom without help, despite my erection having softened slightly. However, it only took one bashful but eager smile from Tifa to solve _that_ problem. It was almost embarrassing how easy it was for her to beguile me... and she wasn't even _trying_.

This time, there was no awkwardness or apparent discomfort when I slid inside her, but I was too riled up to be gentle. Tifa tried to match my urgent rhythm, but soon gave up and just held on for the ride. After a few powerful thrusts, I orgasmed so hard I saw stars and collapsed in her arms, a sweating, trembling mass of nerve endings; it took a long time before my heart stopped racing and I could breathe properly. I was too drained to move, but I had some clean-up to attend to. Reluctantly withdrawing, I kissed away her muttered complaint over the loss of our intimate connection, then forced myself out of bed. My legs simply did not want to support my weight, and I staggered like a drunken airship captain.

"Do you need help?"

Bouncing off the doorframe before grabbing onto it for balance, I replied, "Nope. Be right back."

"All right. I'll keep this spot warm for you." Snuggling down in the bedding, Tifa blew me a kiss when I glanced over my shoulder. Almost asleep by the time I returned from the bathroom, she was pliant and clinging when I joined her between the sheets. The bed was extremely comfortable, and it was very soothing to sift my fingers through Tifa's damp hair while listening to her deep, even breathing as she sprawled across my chest. It occurred to me that I could jam one of the chairs under the door handle, like I did at the Ghost Inn, but that would mean getting out of bed and I really didn't want to move. Despite my best attempts to remain alert, I was soon out cold.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

The sound of distant surf woke me up very early the next morning, and I instantly noted that the window was now open. When I raised my head to assess the situation, I saw an ice bucket, a pair of goblets and an upside-down silver bowl on the small table across the room. Thin curtains gently fluttered behind the table, and fluffy white robes were draped over the backs of the two chairs; at least they were providing something for us to wear since they'd nicked our clothes.

Sweet Shiva, the Villa staff could give stealth lessons to ninjas; I wondered if we could sign up Yuffie.

Tifa moved restlessly, probably sensing my consternation; I tucked the blankets more closely around her, and she settled again. We hadn't been knifed in our sleep, so I was willing to give the staff the benefit of the doubt. Lulled by the sound of the waves, I drifted off again... but woke up in a hurry when Tifa let out a terrified shriek.

As soon as I made sure there wasn't an enemy inside the room, I tried to soothe her. "_Shhh_... it's all right." Her breathing was extremely erratic, coming in rapid, uneven gasps; I patted her cheek until her blankly-staring eyes finally focussed. "I'm here – you're safe." She whimpered once, then clung desperately to me, pressing her face into my throat. "I've got you," I whispered, wrapping myself around her trembling frame.

However, comforting quickly turned into something far more carnal, and one thing led to another until Tifa straddled and rode me with almost frantic energy. My libido was _totally _into it, but even as I briefly lost the ability to think due to a mind-blowing orgasm, I was still aware that something wasn't right. As I came back to reality, I realized my shoulder was wet - she was crying, but I had a feeling that it wasn't from the strength of her release. Despite an inherent sluggishness due to diverted blood flow, I encouraged Tifa to rearrange her limbs in a more comfortable position before cuddling her close. Stroking her hair aside, I kissed away the tears and held her until she calmed.

"Tell me."

She inhaled and exhaled deeply several times, her breath scudding across my chest. "I-It was S-Sector Seven all over again, except Aerith a-and M-Marlene were with us, b-but when the Plate fell... it turned into S-Sephiroth, and he... h-hacked _everyone_ to pieces. Th-there were m-mangled b-bodies everywhere and b-buildings on fire... a-and him _laughing_." Shaking her head as if trying to dispel the images, Tifa shivered violently. I wished I could say something that would ease her fears, but couldn't find anything adequate because the horrifying imagery closely matched what we'd seen in Midgar after Meteor. Instead, I did my best to make her feel safe. It was like she couldn't warm up, but eventually she fell asleep nestled against my chest, her ear pressed to my heart as if needing reassurance that I was alive.

The next morning, it was obvious something was still wrong. When I returned from a disposal trip to the bathroom, she was sitting up in bed, the blankets pulled tight around her shoulders and her lower lip worried to the point of blood. All in all, she looked perfectly miserable, and I didn't like it one bit. Detouring across the room, I shrugged into one of the robes, collected the ice bucket, the goblets and a bowl of sliced fruit hidden under the silver dome and set them up on the bedside table. The contents of the ice bucket proved to be a carafe of juice; filling both goblets, I offered her one, but she shook her head.

Setting it aside, I decided to force the issue and deliberately trapped her against the pillows, my face only inches from hers. After a startled look, she averted her eyes and seemed to shrink. "What's the matter, Tifa? Don't tell me it's 'nothing', because it's obviously _something_."

She hunched a little more, ducking her head. I stifled my worry, and she finally swallowed hard and looked me in the eye. "I-I feel like I used you, and I'm ashamed," she whispered.

"Er... what?" Her lip trembled, and she looked close to tears. "I don't know what you mean – 'used me'? How?"

"When I just... sort of... climbed on top of you a-and..."

Deeply confused, I sat back. "I don't have a problem with you taking control."

"No - it isn't _that_; it's..." She chewed her lip again, then hung her head. "I felt so _empty_ inside... _so_ many people are dead, and some of it is our fault but more of it is Sephiroth's and ShinRa's, but we're still alive and I don't know if we deserve happiness and... and..."

"You wanted the darkness to go away," I finished, unnerved by how her feelings exactly mirrored mine.

"I'm _sorry_."

"Don't be." Moving closer, I gently kissed her on the lips. "I know _exactly_ where you're coming from. There will be times when I need you the same way, for the same reason." Nuzzling her cheek, I added, "We've been to hell and back several times in the last few months; it's gonna take us a while to heal."

Closing her eyes, she turned into my touch and murmured, "Thank you."

After I tucked myself into the bedding beside her, she burrowed inside my robe and we simply held onto each other. It was both comforting and upsetting to know that Tifa struggled with the same despairing thoughts as I did, and it made me even _more_ determined to protect her, to keep the smile on her face.

After a while, I again offered her the goblet and she accepted. We clinked glasses and sipped the cold liquid, then snuggled some more while sharing the fruit. Drips were inevitable, and we eventually decided we needed to wash off the juice, which culminated in sharing a hot bath. Not that I was complaining; who _wouldn't _want to get wet with a naked and affectionate Tifa?

We were still soaking in the tub when someone knocked on the door, which was odd enough considering the staff's propensity for letting themselves in unannounced, so I volunteered to answer it. Hastily towelling off, I slipped back into my robe and picked up the Buster. Paranoid? Maybe slightly. However, our caller was armed only with the power of cuteness.

Marlene greeted me with a dazzling smile, wearing a fluffy pink sundress with a matching bow in her hair. "Good morning, Cloud!" she sang, bouncing up and down on her toes.

"Mornin', squirt," I replied, leaning the sword against the wall before I fully opened the panel. "What's up?"

"Daddy says you better get downstairs before Cid eats all the food!"

"That sounds serious." Over my shoulder, I called, "Marlene's here."

"Oh! Send her in!"

The little girl entered our room, and I became self-conscious about the rumpled bed. Spotting the other robe, I directed her attention. "Here, squirt – take this to Tifa." As she accepted the garment, something occurred to me. "Where'd you get that outfit?"

She twirled, the skirt opening up around her a flower. "Isn't it pretty? Elmyra and Daddy got new clothes, too!"

"Where from?"

"One of the ladies that works here," she said, pirouetting into the bathroom. Turning to close the door, I leapt backwards with a startled oath, because standing in the opening was a bespectacled woman wearing a thoroughly starched uniform; it perfectly matched her personality.

Proffering an armload of neatly pressed fabric, she said, "We hope you and Mrs. Strife will find these satisfactory."

"Uh, thanks." Accepting the clothing, I wondered how they knew our sizes, and then remembered they had absconded with our gear. "Where's our stuff?"

"Being cleaned." With only two words, she subtly managed to convey the laundry department's poor opinion of our tattered belongings. "I can assure you that everything will be returned." Bobbing a curtsey, she bustled off down the hallway, leaving me with the strong impression that our gear was safe from pilfering because it wasn't _worth_ stealing.

Bemused, I shut the door and laid out the clothing on the bed. It was all there, including underwear. Tifa had been issued a dress made of some soft blue fabric, while I'd been given a pair of sandy-coloured, loose-fitting trousers and a red short-sleeved shirt – you couldn't get further from my uniform in terms of colour or material if you _tried_.

Marlene was helping Tifa comb her hair when I stuck my head into the bathroom and warned, "I'm getting dressed out here... no peekin'!"

While Marlene rolled her eyes and huffed, Tifa flashed me a genuine smile. "We'll meet you downstairs."

Nodding, I closed the door and quickly dressed, noting that everything fit fairly well... then wondered if the Villa kept a supply of summer clothes on hand for guests that showed up unprepared. No gloves, no gauntlet, no pauldron - they'd been part of my existence for so long that it felt like I was forgetting something. I considered the Buster and decided to leave it since Tifa appeared to be right about the natives being mostly friendly. "See you in a bit," I called, and left the room.

Given a choice of not one, but two grand staircases to make my descent, I picked the left-hand one. At the bottom of the stairs, the marble floor cool underfoot, I investigated the two high-ceilinged rooms opening off the entryway; one was a parlour full of overstuffed furniture while the other was a library equipped with comfortable leather chairs. Both had fireplaces, and the overall effect was of luxurious coziness.

There was an archway beneath the stairs, leading through the centre of the house towards a light-filled space on the other side. A pair of tall, glass-paned doors stood open, allowing the sound of the sea to fill the huge room. Tables and chairs made out of cane, the latter upholstered in bright fabrics, were clustered on one side while the other had potted plants standing guard over couches and chairs made out of the same materials. Floor-to-ceiling windows draped in sheer curtains let in bright but filtered light; overhead, fans languidly moved the already-warm air.

I heard Cid cackling from outside, so followed the sound through the doors onto a sun-drenched terrace. "There ya are, boss – 'bout to send a search party!"

Shading my eyes as I ambled towards the linen-draped table in the shade of a flower-entwined pergola, I replied, "Tifa had a rough night."

"We heard," Shera said, her expression full of concern; I belatedly remembered that their room was right beside ours. "Is she all right?"

"Nightmare," I grunted as I sat down next to Elmyra; she sympathetically clucked her tongue and patted my hand.

"Damn. Poor gal's back ta that, huh?" Barret sighed. He was downright dapper in a loose overshirt and tank top; somehow, even his scars appeared softened.

"Coffee or tea, Mr. Strife?" Another neatly-uniformed staffer, this time a man about my age, proffered two silver kettles.

"Er, coffee, thanks." He filled my cup, then retreated to a table next to a buffet arranged with an impressive collection of dishes; I frowned. "Are we receiving special treatment? Aside from the Villa, I mean."

Cid followed the direction of my evil eye. "It's okay, boss - I asked, because the idea was kinda stickin' in my craw, too. Costa del Sol's a refugee camp – plenty of families are stuck here, without a home to go back to. Reeve's makin' sure the food shipments are equally apportioned so nobody goes hungry – that's what them spiffy troopers up at the aerodrome are doin' ta earn their keep."

"He must've taken over the ShinRa bank accounts to pay for all this."

"Exactly, laddie!"

"Hey, Cait." Gesturing at the house, I added, "Nice digs," before taking a sip.

He swept off his crown, placed his gloved paw over his heart, and bowed. "Ah'm pleased an' honoured t'declare that th' Villa will be known as 'Villa Cloud' from this day forward!"

"Wh-_what_?" I spluttered, endangering the freshly-ironed tablecloth.

"Gotta like the sound o' that!" Cid chortled, reaching across the empty chair to thump my shoulder. "Beats havin' a street named after ya!"

It must have been a trick of the light, but I swore Cait's button eyes twinkled as he replaced his crown. He looked like he was about to say more, but at that moment, Barret gave a low, wolfish whistle.

"Well, now – ain't _that_ a fine-lookin' gal!"

He wasn't talking about Marlene, either. Hand-in-hand with the little girl, Tifa crossed the terrace towards our table, and my heart skipped a few beats. She looked like a million gil in a blue halter dress made out of a soft fabric that clung to her curves and swayed alluringly with her every step. Her hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail that emphasized the bareness of her shoulders and I instantly wondered how soon I could get her alone to investigate all that exposed skin. Marlene slipped into the seat between Barret and Elmyra, and Tifa continued around the table to the chair beside mine. When she sat down, I discovered that the dress was essentially backless, and immediately took advantage by sliding my arm around her and tracing patterns on her skin with my fingers.

The waiter's eyes were in danger of popping out of his head, because the dress did amazing things for her cleavage, but one encounter with my stony glare had him remembering what he was supposed to be doing instead of ogling the guests. His ear-tips flushed when Tifa politely thanked him for the tea, and remained like that for the rest of the meal. _Of course_ I checked.

It was like our breakfast around the Operations Room table a few days ago, except this time the spectre of Sephiroth wasn't hanging over our heads like a particularly long and shiny sword. In fact, we stayed at the table so long past noon that the waiter started serving drinks. While Cid, Barret and Elmyra availed themselves of his cocktail-mixing skills, the rest of us took Marlene to the beach.

The staff supplied bathing suits and sent us off with a hamper, towels and an umbrella, as well as buckets and shovels. The chauffeur offered to drive us to the seaside promenade, but we decided to walk through the gardens for a closer look. The features we glimpsed by moonlight last night were even more impressive by daylight, and we slowly meandered through the grounds while Marlene picked floral decorations; Tifa tucked a bright orange flower behind her ear.

The main staircase to the beach was right across the promenade from the gate; I let us out with a key card reluctantly entrusted to me by Madame Richler. It was plainly obvious that she was having trouble getting used to the change in ownership – I doubted that Rufus had ever left the Villa to mingle with the 'common folk' in his entire life – but she was putting on a stiff upper lip and dealing with it.

Once we claimed our patch of sand, the girls shed the gauzy wraps they were wearing over their bathing suits. Shera looked terrific in a floral one-piece, but Tifa was the scene-stealer. The colourful bikini fit her _much_ better than the one Yuffie stole the last time we were in town, and the only thing that kept me from admiring her the entire time was the need to shoot hairy eyeballs at the other males on the beach.

It was mostly families, but there were a few stray uncles who were having trouble keeping their eyes on their nieces and nephews due to Tifa; I snickered when one caught hell from the toddler's mama for allowing the squirt to munch a mouthful of sand. There was also a distinct lack of off-duty ShinRa personnel, which suited me just fine, because they made me think of Julia Darrow and her Thane and I really didn't want that reminder right now.

We all helped Marlene build a sandcastle, and then she and Shera combed the beach looking for shells and seaweed to decorate it, while Tifa and I dug a moat to the edge of the surf. There were snacks and cold drinks in the hamper, and it was very pleasant to lounge on the warm sand under the umbrella between bouts of tag with Marlene – who turned out to be a fast little dickens, even with my unfair advantage of Jenova cells – and convincing Tifa to go for a swim 'to wash off the grit' complete with opportunistic groping that got me ducked more than a few times. A final, full-on, 'girls against the boy' water fight ended the afternoon, and we trailed back to the Villa among shadows lengthening across the warm pavement.

Marlene dozed on my shoulder, completely worn out; one arm curled around my neck, a pretty shell clutched in her hand. Tifa wove her fingers with mine as we sauntered through the cool of the gardens, in no hurry to arrive. The indoor and outdoor lamps were being lit as we entered, and dinner was announced. Shera went through the house to check on the rest of the group, who were still out on the terrace and being much quieter than any of us expected, considering Cid and Barret's proximity to the liquor cabinet. I carried Marlene up to her room, followed by Tifa and a maid who appeared out of nowhere, armed with a tray of child-sized nibbles. While Tifa chivvied the little girl into the shower and then her nightie, I changed back into the shirt and trousers and then took over cajoling Marlene into eating some of her dinner while Tifa went to clean up.

Cait Sith slipped into the room as a very tired little girl was fussing over a speck on a piece of melon. "Hallo, wee lassie – ready for a bedtime story?"

"Yes, please," she smiled, rallying a little. As she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth, I cleared away the tray and turned down her bed. Cait hopped in, and when Marlene returned, I tucked them both in; the stuffed toy positively smirked.

"Ye'll be a fine papa someday, laddie," he cheeked.

"You gonna be okay by yourself?" I asked, ignoring the cat.

"Cait's here," Marlene yawned. "I'll be fine."

"All right – you need anything, you send him down to get us, okay?" Ruffling her hair, I was about to stand up when Marlene beckoned. When I leaned in, she kissed my cheek.

"Thank you for a _wonderful_ day," she sighed, her eyes slipping closed almost immediately.

"No problem." Exchanging nods with Cait, I turned to see Tifa leaning against the doorframe, a gentle smile on her lips. She was wearing that gorgeous blue dress again, and in the darkness of the hall outside, I pulled her close and dragged my tongue along the crest of her bare shoulder. Tifa's skin smelled intoxicatingly of sunshine and tasted of salt, and the flower in her hair added its own heady fragrance. If people weren't waiting for us downstairs, I would've ordered room service and kept her all to myself.

However, social niceties called; stealing a kiss, I pinched her bottom and chased her down the stairs. She swung around the newel post at the bottom, bright-eyed and giggling, then let out a girlish squeal when I slid down the banister towards her and fled towards the back of the house. Tifa pulled up just inside the open doors, the sheer curtains billowing softly around her silhouetted figure, and when I caught up, drew me into a tender kiss. We walked out onto the lamp-lit terrace with our arms around each other and joined the rest of our family.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

An hour or so later, the colours of sunset still lingering in the sky, Tifa and I returned to the beach with a bottle of wine and a pair of long-stemmed glasses we'd filched from the dinner table. We found a convenient driftwood log not far from the steps; I plopped down somewhat untidily – the wine served with dinner had been _excellent_ - and propped myself up against the sand-polished wood. When Tifa went to seat herself at my side, I scooped her into my lap instead. Tucking her skirt around her folded legs, she nestled close; dropping a kiss on her shoulder, I hugged her tight and we stayed that way until the stars came out, sipping wine and talking quietly about our future.

If I had any inkling that barely two years later, I'd be fighting for my life, the future of the Planet, and the chance to redeem myself with Tifa, I would've clung more tightly to that golden moment.

**Ф Ф Ф Ф Ф**

**~finis**


End file.
